Shifting Darkness
by ShadowTide
Summary: By: ShadowTide (My friend)There's a new Shuffle Allliance and the same age-old threat. Get ready for 18 chaotic chapters of suitcase problems and
1. Jack of Diamonds

Hi everyone in where-not-land! This is my first G Gundam fan fic! And I've only seen seven episodes of the show, so please forgive me if I make any mistakes. My story is a bit slow, but bear with me. I'd really appreciate it if you reviewed my story. Constructive criticism is welcome. Thank you. G Gundam is so cool! ~* ShadowTide *~ ____________________________________________________________________________ __________ Shifting Darkness  
  
Chapter I: Jack of Diamonds  
  
The sweet, low tones of a cello echoed throughout the palace. "The Princess plays wonderfully, doesn't she?" Raymond commented to a nearby servant as he made his way upstairs.  
  
"Yes, Princess Bunny is a wonderful at everything," the servant replied.  
  
Raymond nodded and continued on his way up to the Princess and her family. He knocked on the door. "Come in," Bunny's mother, Queen Marie-Louise called through the mahogany door. Raymond entered the room, carrying a tray of fresh lemonade with him.  
  
Bunny finished her cello piece. "Wonderful Miss Bunny, wonderful," Raymond praised her.  
  
"Thank you, Raymond," she said politely and placed her cello carefully back in its place against the wall. Raymond looked at the Queen's seventeen-year- old daughter. She had flowing, long golden-reddish hair, and violet eyes like her father, George de Sand. The slim figure of Princess Bunny glided across the floor towards Raymond. He noticed that she was always the perfect lady.  
  
"Mother, may I change my name?" Bunny asked her mother pleadingly.  
  
"Now why would you want to do a thing like that, Bunny dear?" her mother responded.  
  
"Well-I know it's impolite-but, I don't think my name really suites me. Wouldn't a name like Maria, Margaret, Ezter, some name like that suite me better?" Bunny asked.  
  
"Honey, I think your name is fine. And you wouldn't want to insult Uncle Chibodee by changing your name, would you? He did name you, after all."  
  
"No, I wouldn't dream of insulting Mr. Crockett, he's always been so nice to me. But still. I'm not sure he knew what he was doing when he named me 'Bunny'," Bunny complained in the politest way possible.  
  
"Honey, it doesn't matter what's on the outside, it matters what's on the inside," Marie-Louise said as she hugged Bunny close to her. "And all of you is perfect," she whispered into Bunny's hair.  
  
"Thank you mother," Bunny pulled away from her mother. "May I be excused?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, you may," Marie-Louise replied. Bunny curtsied and left the room.  
  
"You brought her up very well," Raymond complemented Bunny's worried mother.  
  
"Yes. Sometimes I'm afraid I brought her up too well," Marie-Louise said with a sigh. She turned to look at Raymond. "Do you think I should let her change her name?"  
  
Raymond shrugged. "It's your decision. She's your daughter." He put down the tray of lemonade and left the room.  
  
Marie-Louise sighed again. She had raised her daughter too well. Bunny had been subject to the best of everything. She barely even knew of the world outside the palace. Twenty years ago, Marie-Louise had been involved in one of the most amazing events in the history of the world.But she was glad there was now peace in the world. Well, at least as peaceful as the world would get. The 13th Gundam Tournament had been a landmark in everyone's life. Marie-Louise was just glad that her daughter was protected from the world outside the Neo-France palace. She sighed again.  
  
"What's wrong, dear?" Marie-Louise heard a voice say. She turned around to see her husband George de Sand standing against the wall of the room, concerned. "Nothing. I was just thinking." The rest of the sentence drifted off. "Bunny wanted to change her name again," Marie-Louise said, changing the subject. "Remember when we let Chibodee name her?" The Queen of Neo-France laughed at the memory.  
  
George nodded, a smile playing across his face. "Yes. I remember. On her name day we had invited all of the members of the Shuffle Alliance, among thousands of others. Why did we let Chibodee out of all the people name our daughter?" George laughed.  
  
"I think it was because you two were the closest. You defeated that awful Gundam together, so.I think he deserved it," Marie-Louise said.  
  
"Yes, you're right. Forgive me for ever doubting Chibodee. When we announced that he was going to name our daughter, I remember he walked up to her crib so joyously.And then he named the heir to the Neo-France throne 'Bunny'! It's such a-such an American name!" George said.  
  
"And then Chibodee said that we'd have to have three other children so he could name them after his other bodyguards." Marie-Louise giggled hysterically.  
  
* * *  
  
Bunny sat on her bed, sketching patterns on her quilt with her finger. She hummed a tune as she thought about her name. It was so-so American! The Princess got up and went to her closet to take out her flute. She never played it enough-the cello was a much nicer instrument. Bunny pulled out her music and placed it neatly on the music stand that she always kept out.  
  
She placed the mouthpiece against her mouth, placed her manicured nails on the flute, and began to play La Marsillaise, the Neo-France national anthem. The high sound of the flute floated through the air. Everyone stopped what they were doing to listen to Bunny's wonderful music.  
  
Suddenly, Bunny's fingers got tired. Her vision started to become blurry. She couldn't see the music in front of her anymore. Or hear the sound of the flute. She vaguely felt something drop from her hands and barely heard it fall onto the carpeted floor. Bunny tried to sit down, her legs were too tired. She couldn't see anything in front of her. Everything was black. She heard a loud thud as she hit the floor, and then lost all consciousness. On her hand was a glowing mark: the Jack of Diamonds mark was shining brightly on her right hand.  
  
  
  
So? Do you like it? Do you think it's good? Please review! Next chapter up soon! ~*ShadowTide*~ 


	2. The Fun Starts!

It starts getting slower here. The next couple of chapters is basically just for those people who feel like laughing every once in a while. Although it might not be totally necessary, I think you should read this chapter. ~* ShadowTide *~ ____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
Chapter II: The Fun Starts!  
  
Once they heard the music abruptly stop, everyone rushed into Bunny's large bedroom. Marie-Louise and George got there first. They stopped at the doorway and stared at the bright red mark on Bunny's hand.  
  
"Oh, my," Marie-Louise said, stunned.  
  
George pulled Marie-Louise closer to him and whispered, "It can't be. Bunny barely even knows what a Gundam is. She can't be part of the Shuffle Alliance, let alone pilot a Gundam!" For the first time in his life, George de Sand completely lost his absolute politeness and almost unbending calm. "Bunny doesn't even know what the Shuffle Alliance is!"  
  
Raymond hurried through the gathering crowd of servants. He was about to say something, when he saw Bunny's glowing hand. "But-how? Bunny-part of the." Raymond let the sentence go. He motioned for another servant to bring him some smelling salts, who did so promptly. Raymond handed the smelling salts to a still-stunned George, and started ordering people back to work.  
  
After the crowd had dwindled away, Marie-Louise ran forward to her daughter, and placed the smelling salts against her nose. Bunny coughed weakly. "Oh," she moaned. "Mother, mother, my hand hurts," Bunny said softly. She clenched her hand in a fist. George looked at it. The mark had faded.  
  
Marie-Louise hugged Bunny close to her and rocked back and forth. "Bunny, are you all right?" her father asked her.  
  
Bunny opened her violet eyes to look up at his concerned face. "I'm fine father," she assured him. Bunny placed her hand on her forehead. "But what happened?" she asked curiously.  
  
"You fainted, Miss Bunny," Raymond informed her.  
  
"Oh," Bunny said and tried to sit up. She succeeded, and rose to her feet, holding on to her bedpost to steady herself. Marie-Louise remained on the floor, staring at the spot where her daughter had lain. "Mother, are you all right?" Bunny touched her mother's shoulder.  
  
Marie-Louise nodded and touched her daughter's hand. The Queen rose and shook her head back and forth, as if to rid herself of an unwanted thought. It can't be true. My Bunny can't be part of the Shuffle Alliance! Marie- Louise thought helplessly.  
  
* * *  
  
"Bunny," George said at dinner that night, "we have something to tell you," he said and gripped Marie-Louise's hand confidentially.  
  
Bunny nodded. It seemed like her parents had something really important to say.  
  
"Well, Bunny." George rushed in, "Bunny, you're going to be fighting in the next Gundam Match, representing Neo-France. You're also part of the Shuffle Alliance." He breathed in. At least he had told her.  
  
Bunny blinked. She blinked again. "I hate to be ignorant, but what's a Gundam? And what is the Shuffle Alliance?" Her parents had never told her about their adventure during the 13th Gundam match.  
  
George gulped. This was going to be harder than he thought. "Well, a Gundam is a gigantic robot that is used in battle. And the Shuffle Alliance is a group of the best Gundam fighters-well, more like the chosen Gundam fighters. When you fainted, Bunny, there was a glowing mark on your hand. It was of the Jack of Diamonds. Any card symbol that arises on a person's hand means that that person-in this case you-is part of an elite group called the Shuffle Alliance."  
  
Bunny was stunned. She was supposed to battle? She was supposed to fight? "What am I fighting for?" Bunny asked, trying to hide her surprise.  
  
"Well, your father always said that he was only fighting for his country and his honor, which is true," Marie-Louise said and looked up at her husband accusingly.  
  
The prospect of fighting brightened. "I'll be fighting for Neo-France?" Bunny asked excitedly. I'd be representing my country! I'd be representing all of Neo-France! I'll be the one to bring France honor-or disgrace.  
  
George and Marie-Louise nodded in unison. Could their daughter actually enjoy the idea of fighting?  
  
"It sounds wonderful!" Bunny said after a long pause. "I'd love to fight for my country! To represent Neo-France!" She clapped her hands together excitedly.  
  
The Queen looked at her husband, the King. Bunny had not taken it as they had expected her too. "We'll call up an old friend of ours and see if he would be willing to train you," George informed his excited daughter.  
  
"Wonderful!" Bunny exclaimed. She was about to rise from her seat, but remembered her manners. "May I be excused?" she asked.  
  
Marie-Louise nodded. "Wouldn't it be nice if just once she forgot to be so polite?" the Queen asked wistfully.  
  
"She's a perfect young lady," George said happily. "Tomorrow we'll call Domon."  
  
* * *  
  
"Hello, may I speak with Domon Kasshu please?" George asked over the phone the next day.  
  
"Who's speaking?" a female voice replied.  
  
"George de Sands," the King of Neo-France replied coolly.  
  
"George? Is that really you? I haven't talked to you since.since your daughter's name day!" George recognized the voice as Rain's. "Remember how Chibodee named your daughter 'Bunny'?"  
  
"How could I forget? She is my daughter after all," George said good- naturedly. "And how are you doing?"  
  
"Oh, Domon and I are doing fine. And I'm expecting a baby soon. I'm so excited!" Rain replied happily.  
  
George smiled, even though Rain couldn't see him "Congratulations!" he said, ever the gentleman. "Is Domon home? I need to talk to him about Bunny," George repeated his original request.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I haven't talked to anyone from those days in such a long time.One sec. DOMON!!!!!!" she screamed to him. "PICK UP THE PHONE UPSTAIRS! YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHO'S ON THE OTHER END!!!!!!!!!"  
  
George laughed out loud. No one in the palace would ever yell to another. Life in Neo-Japan was certainly different from life in Neo-France.  
  
"Hello?" George heard Domon say through the phone.  
  
"Hello, Domon," George replied.  
  
Domon recognized the voice immediately. "George! How have you been? I haven't seen you since Chibodee named your daughter 'Bunny'! Remember that?"  
  
George sighed. Soon, he thought, Neo-France's flag will be of a bunny. "Of course I remember, Domon. She's my daughter!"  
  
"Oh, yah."  
  
"Domon, I have to talk to you about Bunny," George said seriously.  
  
"What about her? Is something wrong? Is she all right-" Domon asked, concern in his voice.  
  
"Bunny is part of the Shuffle Alliance," George replied quickly and calmly.  
  
George heard a bang as Domon's phone dropped onto the floor. Quickly, he picked it up again. "She's part of the what?" Domon asked once he had recovered from the shock of the news.  
  
"Bunny is part of the Shuffle Alliance. She's the Jack of Diamonds."  
  
"YOU PASSED THE JACK OF DIAMONDS ON TO YOUR DAUGHTER?!?!?" Domon screamed in disbelief into the phone.  
  
George held the phone away from his ear as Domon started cursing in five different languages. The King of Neo-France waited patiently until Domone was done. "May I go on now?" he asked calmly.  
  
Domon gave a frustrated sigh in response.  
  
"I swear on my Gundam Rose that I did not pass it on to her. It just showed up one day when she fainted. I promise, Domon, I was planning on giving my crest to a young man named Bersek Hamiltin of Neo-Germany." George said truthfully.  
  
"Then how did your daughter get the crest?" Domon asked.  
  
"I don't know but.Well, I need to ask you a favor," George cut to the chase.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Will you-could you train Bunny?" George asked.  
  
"What?!?" Domon asked in disbelief.  
  
"Would you do me the honor of training Bunny for the Gundam Tournament? Obviously, if she has the crest, she has to fight."  
  
"But-but then you don't get to fight."  
  
"Domon, you have an amazing talent of stating the obvious," George said good-naturally and laughed.  
  
"He he. Very funny. What does Bunny know about Gundams?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Nothing? You expect me to waste my time training your daughter from scratch?" Domon asked.  
  
* * * As George and Domon were discussing Bunny's future as a Gundam fighter, Bunny was in the royal library, doing all the research she could about Gundams. There were thousands of books about Gundams in the library-George and Marie-Louise had never thought that their daughter would ever find out what a Gundam was in the first place, and hadn't bothered to remove all the Gundam books from the library.  
  
She stood up on a stool and reached for a thick book that looked like it would have a record of all past Gundam fights. She jumped up, grabbed it, and toppled backwards. She fell on her back and did a somersault from the impact of the fall. Her skirts went flying up and over her head. For a slit second, her underclothes were completely visible. Thank god there's no one else here, Bunny said thankfully as the pushed her skirts back down, combed her hair with her fingers, and walked over to a deserted table as if nothing had happened.  
  
She opened the book, flipping through the pages. Father said he started fighting in the fourteenth Gundam tournament. I guess I just was never that curious about Gundams. From the little I know they seem violent. I wonder- Bunny's thoughts came to an abrupt end as she saw her father's name written in the chapter about the thirteenth Gundam fight. She started reading, eager to learn about the strange robots her father piloted for a living.  
  
"George de Sand, Gundam fighter of Neo-France was involved in the catastrophic events of the thirteenth Gundam fight. He first met Domon Kasshu as he was about to face another Gundam fighter in battle. Kasshu interupted the battle and asked to fight de Sand. Like a gentleman should, de Sand plainly rejected the idea, since Kasshu had been rude enough to interrupt an ongoing battle." Bunny read on. But, but her father had only started battling in the fourteenth Gundam fight. Not the thirteenth. Then why was his name in there? There was only one George de Sand, right? Bunny finished reading until the end of the chapter, and then closed the book quietly.  
  
She decided it would be better to leave to book on the table, for further reference. She went back to the bookshelf and picked out another book called Gundam Fighting for Beginners. It looked like a good place to start. Bunny jumped up again-she was only five foot five, and the bookshelf was at least fifteen feet tall-and grabbed the book. She went back to her table and started reading again. She would ask her father about the thirteenth Gundam tournament later.  
  
* * *  
  
"Domon, she needs to be trained!" Marie-Louise had now entered the conversation about Bunny.  
  
"I'm sorry but I can't," Domon said thinking this would get him out of training a rookie. "I only take five students at once, and they have already been chosen."  
  
Rain picked up the phone. "Domon Kasshu, if you don't tell the truth right now, I'm going to run upstairs and choke you!" Rain threatened.  
  
"But I'm telling the truth, Rain," Domon lied.  
  
"No you aren't! There is no fifthe recruit. You're waiting for one so you can start trianing the others. Well, here's your chance! George is practically giving you a fifth recruit," she accused him.  
  
"Rain, honey-" Domon was interupted.  
  
"Don't you 'Rain, honey' me, Domon! If you don't let Bunny train here, I'll leave this instant!"  
  
"Where will you go?" Domon asked, somewhat amused.  
  
"Neo-France. At least there, they'll like the fact that I don't lie to get out of things." Marie-Louise and George pressed the speaker button, and went to get some lemonade while Domon and Rain fought amongst themselves.  
  
They sat on a couch, listening to the couple fight over Bunny. Finally, Rain won.  
  
"George? George, are you still there?"  
  
"Yes, and I think we are going to have a very expensive telephone bill this month," he replied.  
  
Domon laughed. "Bunny can come train in Neo-Japan with me. Rain is in charge of ordering Gundams, so you won't have to worry about that. Send her over as soon as possible. The other four will be arriving soon, too."  
  
"We'll all come over on the private jet immediately," George replied and hung up the phone.  
  
I hope your enjoying my story. I made Domon a bit more light-hearted. After being so solemn for the first twenty-one years of his life, I thought he needed a little break. ~* ShadowTide *~ 


	3. Enter the Players

This chapter is sort of important, too. You get introduced to all the characters. ~* ShadowTide *~ ____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
Chapter III: Enter the Players  
  
Bunny sat staring out the window of her private jet. She had brought fifteen books of Gundams with her. One of them was the record book of all past Gundam fights. She pulled the thick book out and re-read the part about her father for the twelfth time that day. Why hadn't he told her? Why hadn't her mother told her? What were they trying to protect her from? Well, now was as good a time as any.  
  
"Father, may I ask you something?" she questioned her father hesitantly.  
  
"Yes, Bunny?" he replied.  
  
"Could you come over here for a minute?"  
  
George walked over and sat down in the empty seat next to his daughter. "What is it?" he asked and put his arm around her seat.  
  
"Well-I don't mean to be impolite, but-as I was looking through the books on Gundams-there must be thousands of them!-I came upon one that has the history of every Gundam fight since the first one. And I remember you telling me that you started battling in the fourteenth Gundam fight. And as I was flipping through the pages, I saw your name mentioned millions of times in the thirteenth Gundam tournament, which I see was somewhat more chaotic that all the others," she said and pointed in the book. "Why didn't you tell me you were fighting in the thirteenth match?"  
  
George sighed. "Marie-Louise, I think we need to have a family discussion," he called to his wife who promptly came over to where the other two were already sitting.  
  
"Yes?" she asked, worried out of her mind. "What is it?"  
  
"The thirteenth Gundam tournament," George and Bunny replied simultaneously.  
  
"Oh," Marie-Louise sighed and sat down.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" Bunny repeated her question to both her parents.  
  
"We thought you might want to become a Gundam fighter, too, if you knew that I had been in so many tournaments. Your mother and I were afraid that you'd-frankly, I'm not sure what we were afraid of. We just were. Bunny, we're sorry," George apologized.  
  
"Sorry? Why should you be sorry? I think it's wonderful that you represented Neo-France in such a dramatic event! I think it's wonderful!!!!" She clapped her hands together in joy and hugged her father.  
  
"I don't deserve this," George said to himself as Bunny hugged him fiercely. She was proud of him? George shrugged. What a strange daughter he had.  
  
* * *  
  
Brad Klements re-read the letter for the eighteenth time that hour. Domon Kasshu had wanted him as a pupil! The Domon Kasshu! The Domon Kasshu had wanted him, Brad, to come to Neo-Japan to become a Gundam fighter! Brad still couldn't believe it.  
  
"Hey, watcha got there, kid?" he heard the man sitting next to him say.  
  
"I'm not a kid. I'm twenty-one! And it's none of your business." Brad wasn't known for being polite or nice. In fact, he was known for quite to opposite. He folded the letter and sat back in the extremely uncomfortable third-class airplane seat. Brad was the greatest Gundam fighter in all of Neo-America, besides Chibodee Crockett of course. He was ruthless and cunning. Brad would do anything to win a battle. But before he had just been using borrowed Gundams. Never had he had his own; it would have been far too expensive. Brad Klements came from a poor family. His father had never amounted to anything, his older brother had never amounted to anything, and here he was: Brad Klements, going to train with Domone Kasshu in Neo-Japan! He was too excited for words. He was going to be in the eighteenth Gundam fight! He was going to represent Neo-America. Brad dreamed about winning the tournament, getting enough money for his family to live off of forever, and maybe even getting to meet Chibodee Crockett himself. Of course, there was no chance of ever becomong a Shuffle Alliance member. Chibodee had given his Queen of Spades crest to some Chikori Hansue of Neo-Denmark. What type of name was "Chokori Hansue" for a Dane? Brad shrugged, and drifted off into sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
Brad was right, though. Chikori Hansue was definitely not a Danish name. Chikori and his parents had moved from Neo-Cambodia to Neo-Denmark because of his father's business. Chikori was a Danish citizen though, and therefore qualified to be in the Gundam tournament. He desperately wanted to, but first he needed proper training and, of course, a Gundam. He had sent a letter to Domon Kasshu asking if he could train with him, and had expected no response. But, surprisingly, Domone had responded and had agreed to let Chikori come to Neo-Japan for training. Chikori was ten years old, and already set on becoming the best Gundam fighter in all of Europe.  
  
And better yet, Chikori was already part of the Shuffle Alliance. The former Queen of Spades, Chibodee Crockett, had come to Neo-Denmark for a tournament, and had seen how well Chikori fought, even in borrowed Gundams. Chibodee had been so impressed that he had given Chikori the Queen of Spades crest. Now Chikori was bound to get into the Gundam match! He looked out of the train window and saw white. Why would any train travel through Siberia? Chikori thought to himself. He snuggled under the thin blanket he had been provided with, and went to sleep. Soon, all that could be seen of him was his greenish-blue hair, which stuck up in small spikes.  
  
* * *  
  
Volta and Haaz Lao hadn't been separated since birth. And they weren't about to start now. They were the best Kung Fu fighters in all of Neo- Nepal. They were celebrities. They were paid thousands a year. And best of all, Domon Kasshu had wanted to train them as Gundam fighters.  
  
They were sailing to Neo-Japan on the H.M.S. Broiler. Haaz was laying down comfortably on a deck chair, while his identical twin sister paced back and forth before him. "Haaz," she said, "what if Mr. Kasshu doesn't really want us? What if he was just drunk or something when he wrote that letter to us? I mean, all sorts of thing could happen. What if we're not good enough? Then we'll have to come back to Neo-Nepal, shamed and branded as failures for life. What if-"  
  
"What if this? What if that? What if the ship blows up? What if I commit suicide? What if a giant whale swallows this whole ship? What if our lunch blows up right in our stomachs? Will you stop worrying?" Haaz replied.  
  
Volta put her hands on her stomach, as if to prevent her lunch from exploding inside of her. "Haaz! I hate it when you do that. We're seventeen years old, and you still act like a baby!" she scolded.  
  
Although the twins were almost identical-short black hair and light green eyes-their personalities were completely different. Volta was a worrier; she thought everything would go wrong, and was always watching out for her careless brother. Haaz never gave a second thought to anything. He did whatever he thought was right at that split second.  
  
"What's wrong with being a baby?" Haaz asked his sister innocently.  
  
"Ugh!" She threw her arms up in frustration and walked away.  
  
Haaz laughed silently, slipped his new sunglasses back on, and continued drinking his pina colada.  
  
* * *  
  
"He what?!?!" a young man of about twenty screamed into the phone. His blue eyes stared at his tabby cat in anger. (There was no one else in the room to stare at.)  
  
"He didn't want you to go," a voice replied over the phone.  
  
"What do you mean, he didn't want me to go? I'm the best Kung Fu fighter in all of Europe-in all of the whole world!" the young man screamed.  
  
"Well, evidentially, he doesn't think so," came the reply.  
  
"But-but he has to!"  
  
"According to the way things are going, no, he doesn't."  
  
"Yes, he does! How am I supposed to become part of the Shuffle Alliance if he doesn't choose me?"  
  
"Good question. I have no- " The rest of the sentence was cut off as the young blonde man smashed the phone down.  
  
"I'll get him for this! He's gonna pay." The man ground his teeth in frustration.  
  
Do you like Volta and Haaz? Personally, they are my favorite characters, even though they aren't my main characters. They're sort of like the unneeded and unwanted comedians. ~* ShadowTide *~ 


	4. The Suitcase Problem, Among Other Things

This chapter is completely and totally irrelevant. If you don't want to waste your time, you can skip it. There some laughs in here, though. Please be patient. My story moves slow. It'll speed up in about chapter eight or nine. Oh, and if you really don't feel like reading all of this chapter, just read they end of it. I call that part 'The Suitcase Problem'. It starts right after the last skip and the *** things. ~* ShadowTide *~ ____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
Chapter IV: The Suitcase Problem, Among Other Things  
  
"Haaz! Hurry up! Do you want to be stranded on this boat with all those old people forever?" she yelled back to her brother who was having trouble carrying his bags across the hall. "I told you not to bring your mobile Gundam collection, but no, no one ever listens to me!" Volta kept on walking at a faster pace.  
  
"Hey! These babies are priceless. I wasn't about to leave them back in Neo- Nepal." He struggled to keep up with his sister, lugging the cases behind him.  
  
"You should have donated them to a museum," Volta said sarcastically. "Then your 'precious babies' would be safe, and I wouldn't have to dust those pieces of junk off every day."  
  
"They are not pieces of junk. They are-Hey! Wait for me!" Haaz ran to catch up with his sister again. "Do you think a museum would really want them?"  
  
Volta sighed. "Small minds are amused by small things," she muttered.  
  
"Wha'?"  
  
"Just walk faster."  
  
They finally reached the deck, and hurriedly exited the ship, which was docked at a little fishing town in Neo-Japan. Once they were a few blocks from the port, they stopped to rest.  
  
"I think we better call a cab," Volta suggested.  
  
Haaz nodded. "Okay, where's the phone book?" He looked around questioningly.  
  
"Ugh!" Volta grunted and sat down on her suitcase. "Haaz!" she said in annoyance. "I can't believe you are seventeen! You act like you are five. It's an expression: 'call a cab'! I didn't mean it literally. See, you stand up, and stick your hand out into the street, until a cab comes by, sees your hand, and stops. The cab driver asks you if you need a ride somewhere, and then you say 'yes' and tell his where you want to go. He takes you there. Is that simple enough for your small brain system?"  
  
"What if the driver is a she? Do the same rules apply?" Haaz asked. Volta hit him with her other hand.  
  
"You are so stupid!"  
  
"I was just joking," Haaz said in defense.  
  
"Good. I'm positive you couldn't get more stupid than you are now. Here comes a cab. Pretend that your smart. Say nothing."  
  
As Volta had predicted, the cab pulled over. The driver got out: a tall, slim, brown-hair woman with dull gray eyes. "Need a ride?" the woman asked.  
  
Volta nodded. "Okay, put your stuff in the trunk, and get in," the cab driver said and got back into the cab.  
  
Volta and Haaz dumped their bags into the trunk of the car and entered the back seat. "Haaz, do you have to keep that case with those stupid toys in them in the car?" Volta asked disgustedly as Haaz brought a case with him into the back seat.  
  
He nodded and closed the door behind him. "Oh, all right. As long as you don't start playing 'Thirteenth Gundam Tourament' again."  
  
"Where to?" the driver asked. Volta leaned forward and gave the driver a piece of paper that had exact directions to Domon Kasshu's house.  
  
The engine started and soon the cab was speeding along a highway. The famous Lao twins were heading right towards the most exciting adventure of their lifetime.  
  
* * *  
  
"Now boarding flight 18. Now boarding flight 18," a voice said over the loudspeaker. Chikori stood up from his plastic chair where he had been dozing, and walked over to the entrance of the plane.  
  
"Ticket?" the flight attendant standing at the door asked.  
  
Chikori searched through his jacket pocket and eventually found the ticket he needed. He reached up and handed it to the flight attendant.  
  
"Row 37. Seat D."  
  
Chikori skipped through the narrow plane isle and found his seat: the very last row. He sat down and looked out the window as the plane took off. No one was sitting in either of the seats next to him. Quickly, he scooted over to the window seat and looked at the clouds around him.  
  
The train had stopped in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the city with the only airport in that small peninsula sticking out of Neo-Russia. He had walked to twelve long blocks to the airport, carrying his two suitcases with him. It had taken a long time before the baggage checker agreed to take the luggage. It wasn't every day that you saw a blue-hair, brown-almost black-eyed boy of ten walk through the streets alone. It had taken even more time getting through to the security guard. Chikori had had to show him Domon's letter, his passport, birth certificate, and had even asked to see his ID. Chikori was ten! He didn't even have an ID! Thank god Mom made me bring my birth certificate, Chikori said to himself.  
  
The plane flight was about half an hour long. Domon's wife, Rain, was going to pick him up at the airport. It would have been a bit too conspicuous if a ten-year-old boy had been walking through the streets of Tokyo alone.  
  
Chikori pulled out a blanket from below his seat. Was it completely necessary for that train to go through Siberia? he asked himself. I think if I had been in that train for one more minute, I would have caught pneumonia.  
  
* * *  
  
Brad pushed the volume button of his CD player. It still wasn't loud enough to drown out the noise of that stupid motor. How was a person supposed to sleep with that infernal humming? Brad sighed. The flight was almost over, anyway. He would only be able to get an hour of sleep at the most before they landed in Tokyo. Rian Kasshu was supposed to meet him there. He didn't see why someone had to meet him. Brad had been taking care of himself since before he could go to school.  
  
Aww, who cares? he thought. It'll be nice to have company for a while. Anyway, I'll be surrounded by people in Domon's place. Brad was used to being a loner. He had never depended on-nor cared about-anyone in his entire life.  
  
"Hey, buddy," the friendly man in the seat next to him-who had tried many times to make friends with the loner-said, "could you turn the volume down a notch? I can hear it from here. And I'd like to get a little more sleep tonight, if you don't mind. After a while, you get used to that noise from the motor."  
  
In response, Brad just turned the volume up more.  
  
"Why me?" the man asked himself and tried to go back to sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
Bunny snuggled down under the covers of her thick quilt. It was soft and warm. She dozed back off into sleep, but her mother soon woke her up.  
  
"Honey, dear, we're almost there. Get up," Marie-Louise told her daughter gently.  
  
Bunny yawned. "Excuse me," she said quickly and neatly folded the blanket up and placed it in the seat next to her. Bunny peered out the window. All she could see where clouds. Lots and lots of fluffy, white clouds.  
  
"Mother, may I have a comb? I'd like to look presentable for Mr. and Mrs. Kasshu."  
  
At her request, Raymond brought over a small comb. Bunny ran it through her curly, reddish-blond hair, trying hard to straighten it. "Honey, it looks wonderful curly," Marie-Louise told her daughter.  
  
"I think it makes me look a bit childish," Bunny replied and yanked hard at her hair again. "Oh," she gave up, "I'll just have to live with what I have."  
  
"We are starting to descend, Miss," the pilot said over the speaker.  
  
"Hold on, Bunny," Marie-Louise told her daughter. The plane started heading downward. It landed smoothly in the large backyard of Domon Kasshu.  
  
Domon came running out of the house as he heard the noise of the private jet. "George!" he called once the jet's engine was turned off.  
  
George, Maire-Louise, and Bunny emerged from the plane. George jumped down to greet Domon, Maire-Louise and Bunny held up by their big, elegant, puffy skirts.  
  
Domon held out his hand for George, who shook it heartily. "I'm glad to see you," George said.  
  
"Me, too." If they had not been in front of ladies, and if they had not been expected to show how "manly" they were, Domon and George probably would have hugged each other.  
  
Marie-Louise shook Domon's hand, too. Then Domon looked at Bunny and almost burst out laughing at the sight of the ignorant royal child. "Bunny, you're not going to be able to wear those kinds of clothes while training," Domon said.  
  
Bunny was appalled, but curtsied politely. Someone had called her 'Bunny'! No one used that name! "It's a pleasure to meet you," she responded.  
  
Domon turned back to George and his small wife. "I'll probably bring out the worst in her, you now," he informed Bunny's father.  
  
"If it's her duty to serve Neo-France by being a brutal Gundam fighter, so be it," he said nobly.  
  
"Come on in," Domon said and motioned for the royal family of Neo-France to follow him. "Rain's at the airport. I'm sorry she couldn't be here to greet you," he said.  
  
* * *  
  
Rain was at the airport, and she was having a lot of difficulty persuading the flight attendant to hand Chikori over to her. "This young man is supposed to be given to a Rain Kasshu," the flight attendant said stubbornly.  
  
"I am Rain Kasshu!" Rain replied, somewhat irritated.  
  
"I'll need some ID," the flight attendant said.  
  
Rain sighed and pulled out her wallet. She flipped through the plastic- covered pages which were overflowing with credit cards, cash, and photos. No ID. Why do I always forget the things I need? Rain asked herself. "I don't drive a car," she said as an excuse.  
  
"If I don't have an ID, then I can't hand him over to you," the flight attendant said stubbornly.  
  
"Look! I was on the cover of every newspaper in the entire world! Okay? You have to have read the newspaper the day after Domon defeated the Dark Gundam, right? Don't you recognize me?" she asked, extremely frustrated.  
  
The flight attendant shook her head. Two and a half feet lower, Chikori was pulling on the flight attendant's sleeve. "What is it?" she asked the short ten-year-old in a softer voice.  
  
Chikori said quietly, "I'm supposed to go with her. I know the face of Rain Kasshu anywhere. Please, let me go."  
  
The flight attendant sighed and reluctantly handed Chikori over to Rain. They walked along in silence. "Let's go pick up Brad Klements, and then we'll go get your luggage, okay?" Rain asked the boy.  
  
He nodded. Chikori was always a quiet boy. He had never seen the need to talk, unless it was with someone he really like, like Chibodee Crockett. They had talked for hours, Chikori remembered. He was brought back to the present as Rain pointed out a tall, muscular blonde man heading their way.  
  
"Hello. You must be Brad," Rain stuck out her hand for him to shake. Brad didn't say a word, or shake the outstretched hand. "Okay. This is Chikori." Rain pointed to the short ten-year-old.  
  
"Hi," Chikori said.  
  
Brad smiled in return. Chikori reminded him of his own little brothers and sisters.  
  
"Let's go grab your bags," Rain said.  
  
"I already have mine," Brad said and pointed to the one bag he was carrying.  
  
Rain stared at it. "That's all?" she asked. Brad gave her a piercing look and no more was said on the topic.  
  
"What's in there?" Chikori pointed at Rain's expanded stomach.  
  
She put her hands on it and smiled. "It's my baby," she replied.  
  
"Oh," Chikori said and ended the conversation.  
  
* * *  
  
"You lazy slug! If you'd hurry up, we might be able to meet the King of Neo- France before he leaves!" Volta scolded her younger brother as he heaved at his five gigantic suitcases full of clothes and Gundam models.  
  
They were at the front of Domon's house, and Volta was waiting impatiently. Finally, Haaz managed to get all of his things out of the cab. "C'mon! Let's go!" Volta said and hurried Haaz along.  
  
"Hey! You never paid me!" the cab driver called after them.  
  
"Oh," Volta stopped in her tracks. She turned around. "Well, you don't have anything of ours to hold ransom, and we don't want any of your things. You don't even know our names so you can't report us to the police, so.who cares?" she laughed and turned around, leaving the cab driver fuming in anger.  
  
Haaz vaulted up the steps, leaving Volta to haul all of their suitcases up by herself. Volta got the second suitcase up the stairs, but it toppled over and fell on Haaz. Volta then lost her balance and fell on the suitcase. I t was at that exact moment-after all three had fallen-that Rian Kasshu opened the door.  
  
She looked around her and saw nothing, then looked down and saw a pile of boy, suitcase, and girl. "Oof," Volta said as she got up.  
  
"Get this thing off of me!" Haaz yelled.  
  
"Sorry," Volta replied and lifted the suitcase, which then went tumbling back down the stairs and landed where it had been in the first place. "Ugh!" she said in frustration and marched back down the stairs to pull the suitcase up all over again.  
  
"Can I help?" Rain asked.  
  
Volta swirled around, mid-step, and the suitcase went tumbling down.again. Haaz quickly dusted himself off and stood up. "You must me Volta and Haaz Lao. Which one's which?" The two were too alike to tell them apart.  
  
"I'm Volta and that little idiot of a human up there is Haaz! He brought his whole mobile Gundam collection with him!" she sighed and started back down the stairs.  
  
Rain started down the stair to help Volta, but the girl from Napal stopped her. "Don't, Mrs. Kasshu. It's too heavy for you in your condition," Volta said and eyes Rain's stomach.  
  
"I'll send Domon out to help. DOMON!!!!" she screamed into the house. "Get out here this instant!" She turned back to the twins. "Come in when your ready. I've got lunch." At the word "lunch", Haaz rushed into the house after Rain.  
  
"HAAZ! Where do you think you are going? These are you're suitcases, and you're gonna help bring them in! Now get back down here and-" Volta stopped in mid-sentence as Domon emerged from the house. Haaz bumped right into him and fell backwards.  
  
"Mr. Kasshu!" Volta ran up the stairs, leaving the suitcase behind. "Please excuse my brother," she said as she helped lift Haaz to his feet again. "He's a bit out of whack."  
  
Domon laughed. "Here, let me help you with those suitcases," Domon said and started down the stairs.  
  
Haaz recovered and rushed into the house again. Volta sighed and skipped down the stairs to help Domon. "Mr. Kasshu! You can't carry all of those at once. They weigh a ton! Let me help you-"  
  
"Don't bother. I can carry them all. Go inside and eat something. You must be starving," he cut her off and managed to pick up all six suitcases at once.  
  
"Um okay," Volta said reluctantly. "Thanks, Mr. Kasshu!" she blushed and ran up the stair, into the kitchen.  
  
Now, how do I get these things up all those stairs? Domon thought to himself.  
  
Next chapter up soon! ~* ShadowTide *~ 


	5. The Meeting

No need to read this chapter, either. ~* ShadowTide *~ ____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
Chapter V: The Meeting  
  
Bunny was in her new room. It was small and cramped, but she would get used to it. I'm going to try my very hardest to do what Mr. Kasshu wants me to do, Bunny swore.  
  
Her suitcases had already been unpacked, thanks to Raymond. But what could she do with all of her fancy dresses if Mr. Kasshu had said that she'd need to wear shorts and a T-shirt? She searched through her closet. "What?" she said out loud in surprise. "Where are all my skirts and dresses?" Every hanger had an every-day shirt, shorts, or pants hanging from it. She opened her drawers. No dresses there. Then Bunny laughed. Her mother had known that she wouldn't need fancy outfits, and had packed every-day clothes for her instead!  
  
Bunny shook her head and changed clothing. "I might as well make use of these horrid outfits." She looked at herself in the mirror after she had changed into shorts and a T-shirt. I feel naked, she thought and shivered.  
  
"BUNNY!!! Come down here! Lunch is served!" Rain called from downstairs.  
  
Bunny hurriedly scrambled down the ladder that led to her loft, as she called it. She jumped to the floor and ran into the kitchen. "Can I help do anything, Mrs. Kasshu?" she asked.  
  
"Rain," Rain replied.  
  
"What? I can't rain." Bunny didn't understand.  
  
"No," Rain shook her head. "I mean, call me 'Rain'."  
  
"No, I couldn't do that, Mrs. Kasshu, it's impolite."  
  
"Bunny, dear, you're going to be living here for then next three years- before the eighteenth Gundam match-so you'd better get used to calling me 'Rain'. No more 'Mrs. Kasshu'. It makes me feel like a secretary or something."  
  
Bunny laughed. "All right, Rain." It sounded strange, calling someone by his or her first name.  
  
"Just sit down at the table over there," Rain indicated as she took a turkey out of the oven.  
  
"Okay," Bunny said and walked over to the large dinning room table that Rain had pointed out. There were already three people sitting around the table: two twins who looked exactly alike and one little boy with strange yellowish-green eyes and blue hair.  
  
One of the twins caught his or her breath and stood up (Bunny couldn't tell if the person was male of female) as Bunny entered the room. The brown-hair twin bowed and punched the other twin in the side. "Stand up, you slowpoke! You're in the presence of royalty here!"  
  
The other slowly rose as he set his model Shining Gundam down on the table. "Your Highness," the first one said and bowed. The other copied.  
  
Bunny was about to lift her skirts in a fancy curtsey, but then realized she was wearing shorts. Her face slowly turned red as she realized she didn't know what to do. Bunny finally just stretched out her hand to be shacked. "There's no need to call me that," she said. "If we're going to be living in the same house, we might as well call each other by name. Call me Bunny," she added the last part a bit reluctantly.  
  
"I'm Volta," Volta replied and heartily shook Bunny's outstretched hand. She punched Haaz in the stomach as he fell down on the floor rolling in laughter. "He's Haaz," Volta added. "My pesky, annoying, stupid, idiotic- beyond-belief, totally dumbfounded brother. I hate him." Volta said this last statement as she stared at the rolling Haaz with a penetrating gaze that he completely ignored. "What, may I ask, is so funny?" she asked.  
  
"Bunny!" was all Haaz could get out. "Bunny!" Finally, the tidal wave of laughter subsided and Haaz sat up. "Her name is Bunny! Presenting the Princess of Neo-France, Heir to the Throne, Bunny de Sand!" he said mockingly.  
  
Bunny's face turned red. "May I?" she turned to Volta.  
  
"May you what?"  
  
"I'll tell you later. Just answer yes or no."  
  
"If it has anything to do with that idiot over there," she pointed at her brother, "do whatever you like."  
  
Bunny walked over to Haaz and hit him in his stomach. He fell to the ground gasping for air. "Humph," Bunny lifted up her face, pushed her reddish- blond hair out of her eyes, and walked back to Volta.  
  
"Wow," Volta said,, awed. "I didn't know princesses where allowed to do that stuff."  
  
"They aren't. But I highly doubt I'll be princess material after these three years though." There was a moment of silence. "Hey! Do you think we could hang your brother up outside and use him as a punching bag?"  
  
Volta laughed and turned around to see Chikori staring at them. "Hello," Bunny said. Chikori continued staring.  
  
"Don't bother. He's like mute or something. Hasn't said a word since I first saw him," Volta informed her new friend.  
  
Suddenly, Chikori started speaking rapidly. "Oh my god! You're George de Sand's daughter! The George de Sand's daughter! You're Bunny de Sand! Do you know any of his battle techniques? Can you tell me anything about him at all? I know everything there is to know about all the Shuffle Alliance members! Test me, test me!" Chikori started jumping up and down. "How does he fight? How does he win? Why isn't he fighting in the coming up touranment?"  
  
"Woah! Hold it there, you little whoever-you-are! Slower. No human being can understand what you're saying at that speed," Volta interfered.  
  
But Bunny was already answering his questions. "No. Everything-anything you want. I don't know. I don't know. I-" Bunny paused before she answered the last question. Should she tell them that she was the Jack of Diamonds? "I don't know."  
  
"Wha'?"  
  
"Aww," Chikori said exactly at the same time Volta said "Wha'?" "You're not useful. I thought his daughter would know everything about him. Awwww." Chikori started walking away.  
  
"Sorry! I just never got into Gundam fights," Bunny apologized. Chikori sat down, looking quite depressed.  
  
"If you don't know anything about Gundam fights, then why are you here?" Volta asked suspiciously.  
  
"Oh, I know all the basics. I read about one hundred books on Gundams when I was flying here. I've just never piloted one," Bunny said as an excuse.  
  
"Ah. Well, don't worry," Volta said and patted Bunny on the back. "I'll teach you everything you need to know."  
  
"I think that's my job," a voice said from behind.  
  
Bunny and Volta swirled around to see Domon leaning against the door. "Mr. Kasshu!" they said simultaneously.  
  
"Domon," Domon corrected. "And what is Haaz doing on the floor, girls?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Bunny looked down at the floor and Volta looked up at the ceiling. "Girls." Domon repeated.  
  
"Sorry," Bunny ventured. "He was making fun of my name."  
  
"Think of it this way, Mr. Kasshu: insect termination," Volta put in.  
  
Domon threw back his head and laughed.  
  
"We were thinking of using him as a punching bag in the backyard." Bunny got braver as she realized that Domon wasn't really mad.  
  
"Poor Haaz," Domon shook his head and helped Haaz rise.  
  
Finally, lunch was ready. Everyone introduced themselves, except for Brad, who remained eerily silent during the whole meal.  
  
"Why did your parents let Chibodee name you?" Volta asked.  
  
Rain turned to Domon. "Should we let him name our baby, Domon?"  
  
Domon looked horrified at the thought. Rain could tell from his look that the answer was no. "Which one did Chibodee end up marrying?" Rain asked.  
  
"No one," Chikori put in.  
  
"Then why did-" Volta was cut off as Chikori answered her.  
  
"Bunny died. I guess it was to honor her memory. You should be proud of your name, Princess." Chikori said as he turned to Bunny.  
  
Everyone was shocked by the news. The Shuffle Alliance hadn't really kept in touch since the thirteenth tournament.  
  
* * *  
  
"Okay, everyone. We start training tomorrow. You'll wake up at five in the morning. Oh, and if you hear a lot of noise in the night, don't be scared. Five Gundams should be landing in our backyard tonight. You're Gundams," Domon added.  
  
Okay, I know I didn't have to write the last two chapters, but I wanted too. I think my story gets moving a bit after this. At least they get their Gundams. ~* ShadowTide *~ 


	6. The Gundams

Chapter VI: The Gundams  
  
"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" Bunny heard Volta shake her back and forth the next morning.  
  
"Ugh. It's the middle of the night," Bunny mumbled and put a pillow on top of her head.  
  
"Fine. Be that way. Don't blame me when you catch phenomena," Volta warned as she dumped a bucket of ice cold water onto Bunny.  
  
Bunny sat up sputtering. "Wha! What was that for?" She jumped out of bed.  
  
"I warned you," Volta said.  
  
"I'm awake, I'm awake," Bunny mumbled. Volta and Bunny were sharing rooms. "What time is it?" she asked, fully awake.  
  
"Four," Volta replied nonchalantly.  
  
"Four! You woke me up at four in the morning! Ugh," Bunny got her temper under control. "Well, I'm awake now, so I might just as well get dressed anyway. What should I wear?" she asked.  
  
Volta shrugged. "Something durable. I think we are going to be meeting our Gundams today! Isn't it exciting?" Volta searched through Bunny's closet and Bunny looked through her drawers. "Hey! How about this?" Volta pulled out a pair of neon-blue short shorts and a black tank-top.  
  
Bunny turned around to look at the outfit in question. "AH! I'm not going to wear that! It's not even clothing!"  
  
"Oh, you'll look great in it! Especially once I'm done with your hair. Doncha wanna look your best for your Gundam?"  
  
Bunny ignored her last comment. "My hair?" She placed her hands protectively around the long, reddish-blond curls.  
  
"Just slip this on, and then I'll work with your hair," Volta said.  
  
"But it's atrocious!"  
  
"You'll look fine!"  
  
"Bu-but-"  
  
"Stop worrying! You'll look great! Oh my god! Did I just say that? Help! I'm starting to become like Haaz!"  
  
* * *  
  
"Now you are totally and completely ready to meet your Gundam," Volta said an hour later after she had persuaded Bunny to dress and had cut her hair.  
  
"My hair doesn't look that bad, does it?" Bunny asked, concerned.  
  
"It's great! And that's not all!" Volta looked Bunny up and down. "Girl, what were you hiding behind those fancy dresses all those years?" she asked.  
  
Bunny blushed. "I feel naked." "And you look fantastic!" Bunny did look good in the outfit. The colors suited her. And her hair was much nicer than it had ever been before. Volta had straightened it out and cut it so that it could make the perfect sized bun. Not too much hair, and not too little. "Okay, let's go!"  
  
* * *  
  
Volta and Bunny were the second group to enter the backyard garden. Brad was already there, staring at the Gundams that had landed there that night. "Hi, Brad!" Bunny greeted him. Brad made no reply.  
  
"Don't even bother. He has something against the rest of mankind," Volta whispered to Bunny.  
  
"Okay," Bunny agreed reluctantly. She would try to make contact later.  
  
Soon, the other four appeared. First came Domon and Rain, then Chikori. Haaz was the last to enter the spacious backyard. He ran into the screen door first, while trying to pull a shirt over his head. Haaz banged into the screen again, and again, and then eventually figured out that in order to see through his shirt, he would have to slip it over his head.  
  
"Haaz! You are such an idiot! You're embarrassing the whole of Neo-Nepal. What type of Kung Fu fighter bangs into a screen door five times in one day?" Volta berated her brother using very colorfully language. Once she was on a role, she started speaking in Indian so that no one could understand her. Finally, Volta was done.  
  
"Sorry about that, Mr. Kasshu. You'll get used to it eventually," Volta apologized.  
  
"Okay, now that our lesson in killing Haaz is over.One of you asked to come here. I asked for three others to come here, and one, well, I'm not really sure how she got here." Domon stared strait at Bunny. "You came here to learn how to fight in Gundams and that's what your going to do. Step one: get your Gundam. This is something I've never tried before, but don't be too surprised. I'm going to let you choose your own Gundam. This will show me exactly how much you know about Gundams already. Don't worry about the model numbers, those will appear the moment you choose your Gundam. Follow me." Domon started walking towards the five stone rosebuds that held Gundams inside of them. The others followed behind in silence.  
  
Bunny gulped. She had to pick her own Gundam? I can do this, she thought. I studied tons of information about Gundams. I can do this.  
  
"The five Gundams there are to choose from are Siren Gundam, Eagle Gundam, SunStriker Gundam, NightStalker Gundam, and Mirror Gundam. Siren Gundam was created after the half-bird-half-human creature known only in myths and legends today. Eagle Gundam was actually designed by Chibodee Crockett. It can fly, unlike all the rest. SunStriker Gundam needs solar rays to activate its most powerful attack. NightStalker is a prototype. It's never even been tested before. And Mirror Gundam had fifteen mirrors located throughout its body. I'll give you five minutes to think it over." Domon nodded.  
  
That NightStalker Gundam is so mine! one person thought.  
  
Another: Siren Gundam.Mermaid Gundam! Why didn't I think of it before?  
  
Eagle Gundam, created by Chibodee Crocket himself. I have to have it! a mind thought ferociously.  
  
What am I going to do? What am I going to do.?  
  
Solar rays, hmm. That could be a bit dangerous. What about Mirror Gundam? Naw, what's the use of mirrors? the fifth person thought, puzzled.  
  
"Times up. Chikori, you first," Domon pointed at the boy. "I know this isn't a fair way of choosing, but it works." Domon shrugged. "We'll go down the line. Chikori, Volta, Bunny, Brad, Haaz."  
  
"Siren Gundam! Rise!" Chikori shouted.  
  
"SunStriker Gundam! Rise!" Volta commanded.  
  
"Mirror Gundam! Rise!" Bunny shouted, following the examples of the other two.  
  
"Eagle Gundam! Rise!" Brad said calmly. It was the first time he had spoken.  
  
"Yes! And I get the one I wanted anyway! NightStalker Gundam! Rise!" Haaz screamed.  
  
Five rock-roses fell from the five Gundams. Five brand-new Gundams stood up. The Siren Gundam: with the body of a metallic bird, but top half looked like that of the Noble Gundam. The Eagle Gundam: flapping its metal wings up and down and screeching out. The SunStriker Gundam: a yellow ball of sunlight gathering between its hands. The NightStalker Gundam: a dark purple ball of shadows gathering between its hands. And Mirror Gundam: all fifteen mirrors flashing out and impossible to look upon because of the sun's glare. 


	7. NightStalker

Chapter VII: NightStalker  
  
"Bunny, your hopeless! Do you want to represent Neo-France and win or not?" Volta asked her roommate.  
  
"Yes!" Bunny jumped up from her sitting position, a fire burning in her eyes.  
  
"Then you'll have to learn how to fight in a Gundam!"  
  
"Why? I'm perfect at stargazing from outside the Gundam. Can't I just have someone else pilot it?" she asked hopefully. And it was true. Bunny was the best at coming up with attack techniques. Everyone had realized that the first day. Two months had gone by and still Bunny hadn't entered her Gundam  
  
"Duh you have to go into the Gundam! Otherwise you can't participate in the Tournament!" Volta smacked her friend on the forehead.  
  
"Oh, all right," Bunny said. "I give up. You win," she rose from her seat on the front stairs of the house.  
  
Volta held out her hand for a high-five. "Yes! You'll be the best ever Bunny!"  
  
Bunny smacked Volta's hand hard and, instead of letting go, gripped it tightly and whirled around-fast. She flipped Volta over her shoulder at lightening speed. Volta landed on her feet gracefully, trying to cover the fact that she had been taken a bit off balance. "See, you're great at Kung Fu and everything, so why don't you try Gundams?" Volta urged.  
  
"I already agreed. If you ask again, we'll probably have to start at the beginning," Bunny replied with a smile and walked into the house. Domon had brought out the worst of Bunny de Sand. She no longer had any problems with wearing sweat-shorts and a tang-top. And fighting no longer frightened the wits out of the princess of Neo-France. She had become tougher, but was still the same gentle self on the inside. Bunny had accomplished everything she had wanted to in those eight weeks, except communicate with Brad. He just seemed completely unreachable.  
  
"Mr. Kasshu," Bunny called out the back door. She would never stop being polite. "Mr. Kasshu, Volta's finally talked me into fighting in my Gundam!"  
  
Domon appeared out of nowhere. "Great!" he said. "You can fight against Haaz. Considering that you beat him every day at Tactics, this should be no problem. Now go get Mirror Gundam."  
  
Bunny nodded and ran out the door. She snapped her fingers. The bright blue nail polish on her fingernails glittered in the morning sunlight. The Mirror Gundam appeared. Bunny caught her breath. It was so big! How could she-  
  
Then Bunny smirked. She knew what the Mirror Gundam could do. No one else did. Brad had actually chosen the weakest Gundam. She had thought he was smarter than that.But Bunny knew that Mirror Gundam was powerful. She hadn't told anyone about its attacks. Haaz would be surprised. Very surprised.  
  
* * *  
  
"All systems check!" a man shouted.  
  
"Good. This better work." It was the same man who had wanted to become part of the Shuffle Alliance. The same man who had vowed to get revenge on Domon.  
  
"Oh, it'll work all right," the other man-a scientist-assured him. "I designed the NightStalker Gundam myself."  
  
* * *  
  
Bunny was in her Gundam. It felt strange, wearing that tight rubbery suit. She moved her hand it a circular motion, to make sure the Gundam responded to her movements. Volta, Chikori, Domon, Rain, and her one-month-old baby, Cathery *(I wonder who named the baby?)*, were all watching. Domon put his arm around his wife and held her close to him as he instructed Bunny and Haaz what to do.  
  
"Gundam Fight ready." Haaz began.  
  
"GO!" Bunny ended the sentence.  
  
Haaz shot a Shadow Stalker Attack at Bunny. The black mist traveled towards the Mirror Gundam. The arm mirros shot out of Bunny's Gundam. Haaz's attack hit the mirrors and.bounced right back at Haaz!  
  
"Wow! I didn't know the Mirror Gundam could do that!" Haaz said.  
  
"That makes you ignorant and a bad fighter," Bunny responded sourly. She was having second thoughts about this Gundam thing.  
  
"Night Beam Ray!" Haaz shouted. Like his other attack, this one bounced right back at him, burning a whole in the Gundam's arm. "AHH!" Haaz shouted out in pain.  
  
"Sorry," Bunny said.  
  
"Ha! A good Gundam fighter never takes down her guard." Bunny heard Haaz say from behind her. She turned around. Haaz was aiming another Shadow Stalker Attack. It was aimed at her mirror. Evidently, scientists who said that everyone has a brain were wrong. Suddenly, the arm about to launch the attack veered up. It was too late to call back to attack, and the attack was aimed right at Bunny's cockpit.  
  
"Haaz! What on earth are you doing? You know you'll only kill Bunny by attacking her cockpit!" Chikori screamed.  
  
"I can't stop it. Something-something's controlling my Gundam. I can't move! Help! Get me out of here! Help!" Haaz began to panic. Volta was already there. Her Gundam crashed into Haaz's, causing it to fall to the ground. The launched attack made a big hole in the ground, but that was all.  
  
Haaz jumped out of his Gundam, along with Bunny and Volta. "Haaz, what happened? I don't know. It was like I was paralyzed or something. I couldn't move at all. I could barely even think."  
  
"Is that different from any other day?" Volta asked.  
  
Haaz stared at her icily. "I'm serious, Volta. It-it took over my suit, my Gundam, everything! I swear on-on my Gundam!"  
  
Volta's mocking look was erased instantly. Haaz never swore on a Gundam. He was actually serious. "Exactly what happened, Haaz?" she asked.  
  
"Well, I was about to launch an attack her mirror-"  
  
"Which was pretty stupid of you because that mirror can do something that Bunny never told us about," Volta interrupted and looked at Bunny. "But we can discuss that later."  
  
"Do you want me to tell you what happened or not?" Haaz asked. "So, I was about to attack Bunny again when all of a sudden my suit went haywire. All that data and stuff that's in the suit, it all came popping out and filled my screen. The numbers were off the charts. Not what they're supposed to be. Then the suit stiffened and I couldn't move at all. Not even to scratch my nose or anything. I was just stuck in that position. Then my arm moved jaggedly upward and to the right," Haaz said and acted out what happened to him. "And I was aiming at the cockpit. I tried to move my arm back down, but it didn't work. I tried to move my other arm to help that arm get down, put that didn't work either. Then I tried to tell my Gundam to stop attacking, but that didn't work. I ordered it to stop, and it still didn't respond. I tried to turn around so that the attack would blast down some trees or something, but that didn't work. And then Volta pushed me down, and the attack made a big hole in the ground. Sorry about that, Domon. And then Volta started screaming at me-"  
  
"We know what happened after she butted in," Brad put in sharply.  
  
Everyone stared at him. Brad had said exactly twelve words so far. "What? I do know how to speak. I'm not that stupid!"  
  
"We need to figure out what happened to your Gundam, Haaz." Rain stated the obvious. "It could be dangerous. I think until we know what's wrong, you shouldn't pilot it."  
  
Haaz looked put down. "Aww. It's my Gundam! I have to be able to pilot it! How else am I going to enter the Tournament?"  
  
"There's this person called Volta Lao. I'm not sure if you've met her or not, but she's also from Neo-Nepal!" Volta put in sarcastically.  
  
"He-he," Haaz said and watched Volta come closer and closer to him. She looked him in the eye, sternly, and then started screaming at him some more. Finally she was done shaking the life out of her unfortunate brother.  
  
She kept on staring at him, and then her eyes softened. She hugged Haaz close to her. "Haaz, you got me so worried. Don't you ever do something that stupid again! And don't even think of piloting your Gundam." Haaz was confused, but didn't want to ruin the only moment when his sister was actually hugging him. Everyone stared. They had to solve NightStalker Gundam's problem, and quick.  
  
* * *  
  
"Domon! Look at this," Rain called to her husband as he came over.  
  
"What?" he asked, standing behind her.  
  
She showed him the data that was on her laptop. "NightStalker Gundam was created by Neo-Germany. It never had a single test run because the head scientist claimed it was already running perfectly and didn't need to be tested. Why did we get the NightStalker Gundam, Domon?"  
  
"I wanted one of them to have it. It sounded like a good Gundam. It is a good Gundam. If NightStalker Gundam is from Neo-Germany, wouldn't that make SunStriker Gundam from Neo-Germany, too? Aren't they twin Gundams or something like that?"  
  
Rain agreed. She typed in a search for SunStriker Gundam. "It says here that SunStriker Gundam was created by Neo-Germany, too. But it was actually built in Neo-Jamaica. Lots of sun there. It was test driven a couple of times. Worked perfectly." She scrolled down father. "Look at this! The same man designed both of them: Dr. Klements."  
  
"Klements." Rain and Domon turned around to see Bunny standing behind them "I'm sorry, I couldn't help overhearing, and well, I know Dr. Klements. He made a few minor improvements on the Gundam Rose-" Bunny was cut off as they heard a sharp scream come from the backyard. She ran out of the room.  
  
Haaz was standing in the middle of the gigantic backyard, his Gundam suit not allowing him to move. NightStalker Gundam was aiming an attack at him. But-there was no one in the Gundam. Bunny ran out to Haaz and pulled him away from the Gundam. But the Gundam just turned around and kept on aiming at Haaz. Then Brad was there in his Eagle Gundam. The Shadow Stalker Attack was already being launched. Eagle Gundam picked up NightStalker Gundam and threw in onto the ground. The earth shook and now there were two dark, deep holes in Domon's backyard.  
  
"HAAZ!!!!!!!" Volta came out screaming in anger. She hit her brother on the temple. "You are the stupidest being known to mankind. Idiotic! When Mr. Kasshu and I explicitly told you not to go into your Gundam till we figure out what happened to it, you go in your Gundam and almost get killed. Which do you prefer: your Gundam killing you or me killing you? You are so dead, Haaz Lao!" She shook him back and forth. "You worried everyone here half to death. No more Gundam fighting for you. I'm sending you back to Neo-Nepal. Now! Get out of that evil suit and start packing!" Volta glared at him and pointed towards the door to the house. Like an obedient child, Haaz walked into the house, his head drooping in sadness.  
  
Brad piloted his Eagle Gundam to land next to the others. He hopped out of his Gundam and walked into the house. "You're brother is an idiot," he remarked to Volta as he passed by. "Rabbit-face there should have let him die."  
  
"The name is BUNNY!!!" Bunny screamed after him. Brad has serious social issues, Bunny thought.  
  
Volta collapsed onto the floor. "What did he think he was doing? What the hell did he think he was doing?" she asked.  
  
"Trying to prove that he could control his Gundam," Chikori answered.  
  
"But I told him not to go near it," Volta defended.  
  
"Did he ever listen to you before?"  
  
"No."  
  
"So why should he now?" Chikori pointed out.  
  
Volta turned around to face him. "For a ten-year-old, you are way too smart. He should have listened to me because this time it was a matter of life or death! Last time it was a matter of a broken Shadow Gundam model or a whole and complete Shadow Gundam model. See the slight difference in importance there?"  
  
Rain went back inside, along with Domon. "Cathery needs to be fed," she explained.  
  
Volta went inside to talk to Haaz. Chikori eventually drifted off into the house as well.  
  
Bunny sat on the grass, staring up at the clouds. Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the phone ring. "I'll get it!" she called as she ran into the house.  
  
"Hello? Kasshu residence. Trainee speaking. May I ask who's calling?" she said politely.  
  
"Bunny? Bunny, is that you?" Marie-Louise said over the other line.  
  
"Mother!" Bunny recognized her voice.  
  
"Bunny, there's something I have to tell you. Now, don't be scared, dear. You're father's fine-"  
  
"Father? What happened to father?" Bunny asked, panicking.  
  
"Well, his Gundam Rose tried to kill him. But there wasn't a pilot in the Gundam. It was like it operated on it's own."  
  
"Is he okay?" Bunny asked.  
  
"Yes, your father is fine. He wasn't injured at all."  
  
"Good." Then it hit her. Dr. Klements had remodeled Gundam Rose. Dr. Klements had created NightStalker Gundam. Dr. Klements had also created SunStriker Gundam! "Mother, Haaz's Gundam acted just the same way today," she said. "And Dr. Klements-remember him?-was involved in the creation or remodeling on both of them."  
  
"You could be right, Bunny," the Queen of Neo-France said. "I have to go now, dear. Love you, bye."  
  
"Love you, mother," Bunny responded and hung up the phone. "RAIN! Can I use your computer?" she called up the stairs to Rain.  
  
"Sure! Do you know how to work it?" Rain responded.  
  
"Yes," Bunny called back. "Thanks!" She opened up the laptop and started researching Dr. Klements. This could get interesting.  
  
* * *  
  
"Dr., it didn't work on either Gundams. People kept on interfering," a man reported.  
  
"We'll just have to try it on SunStriker Gundam next," the scientist replied.  
  
* * *  
  
"Bunny, I've made a decision," Volta announced before they went to sleep that night. "If all you told me was true, then I think it's best that I stop piloting my Gundam for a while, maybe even go back to Neo-Nepal."  
  
"Don't even think about going back. But you're right. I wouldn't pilot that Gundam if I were you," Bunny responded. 


	8. The New But Not Improved Shuffle Allianc...

Chapter VII: The New-But Not Improved-Shuffle Alliance  
  
The years passed. Everything remanded the same. Everyone forgot about how Haaz's Gundam had acted so strange. Life had gone back to normal in the Kasshu household. Until.  
  
"Domon, if they're gonna fight in this year's tournamnet, they're gonna need more training. As much as you'd like to believe it, you're not the only Shuffle Alliance member, here," Rain told her husband one day. "I think that we should invite the others to come train Chikori, Haaz, Volta, Bunny, and Brad, too. The Gundam fights are only a month away!"  
  
"All right, all right," Domon said. "I'll call them tomorrow."  
  
"Good husband," Rain kissed Domon and patted his head like someone would pet a dog.  
  
* * *  
  
"What if they don't like me? What if they think I'm hopeless? What if no one is willing to train me?" Volta asked no one in particular as she paced back and forth across the dining room, waiting for the doorbell to ring and the Shuffle Alliance members to arrive. "What if they send me back home? What if I'm not good enough? What if-"  
  
"Stop it, Volta! You're making me dizzy, walking back and forth like that," Haaz said as he leaned back in his chair. "Anyway, everything will be fiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeee!" he ended the sentence in a scream as the chair fell backwards.  
  
"Who's more hopeless, you or me?" Volta asked and helped Haaz get up. "You're such an idiot! I think maybe I'll-" The doorbell rang. "I'll finish the threat later. Gotta go." With that Volta was at the door. The three other trainees were still in their rooms.  
  
Volta looked around her. There was no one there. She heard a groan from beneath her, and looked down. There was Chibodee laying flat on the floor, a suitcase on top of him, and Sai Sici on top of that. For a moment or two, Volta just stared at them. Then she started laughing hysterically.  
  
"What, may I ask, is so funny?" Chibodee asked from underneath the suitcase.  
  
"You," Volta replied between laughs. "You-are. Do-you-have-any-idea-of-how- funny-you-look?"  
  
"I could imagine," Chibodee replied. "Sai, since she isn't going to help me, will you please GET OFF OF ME!" he screamed. Sai Sici hurriedly got up and pulled the suitcase up with him. Both suitcase and thirty-six-year-old Gundam fighter went rolling down the stairs.  
  
"Oh-Sorry, Mr. Crockett! It's just that-" Volta started laughing again, but first managed to help Chibodee off of the ground. "See, when I first got here, the exact same thing happened to me," Volta explained. "Except I was on top of the suitcase," she added and made her way down the flight of stairs to help Sai Sici. Chibodee stood at the top of the stairs, watching Sai Sici and Volta with a half-amused, half-comically-annoyed look.  
  
"BUNNY!" Haaz shouted as he appeared at the doorway. "Get down here! Volta's started a luggage service and is gonna need a bit of help!"  
  
"Coming!" Bunny replied as she scrambled down the stairs, jumped a few, practically flew over the staircase railing and landed with a thud at the doorway. "It's faster," she explained as she stood up and saw Chibodee and Haaz looking at her quizzically.  
  
Bunny rushed down the stairs to help Volta. "Go on inside, everybody," she said. "Except you, Haaz," Bunny added as Haaz started to make his way inside, too. "Get down here. Whoever said that girls have to do all the manual labor?"  
  
Volta, Bunny, and Haaz stared carrying the suitcases up the stairway. Soon, Argo arrived. "Here, let me take those for you, Mr. Guilsky," Volta offered and took four of Arog's bags, Haaz taking the over one.  
  
Argo completely ignored the struggling trainees and made his way up the stairs, Natasha not far behind.  
  
"Uh, that's gratitude for ya," Haaz comented.  
  
Volta grunted. "What does he have in here? Weights?" she complained as she carried Argo's luggage up the stairs.  
  
"Most likely," Bunny replied.  
  
A taxi pulled up and George de Sand stepped out of it. "Father!" Bunny cried and dropped the suitcase she was struggling with on top of Haaz's foot.  
  
"Ow," he said in pain.  
  
"Father! Why did you take a taxi?" Bunny asked and embraced her father.  
  
"I'm not sure why, but remind me never to do it again," he said and hugged his daughter back.  
  
"Where's mother?"  
  
"She stayed in Neo-France. Duty calls," George explained.  
  
"Come on in," she said and started up the stairs past Volta and Haaz.  
  
"Bunny! You're not gonna leave us here with all of these bags, are you?" Volta pleaded.  
  
"Of course not-" Bunny was cut off.  
  
"I'll have Raymond carry them up," George intervened.  
  
Volta and Haaz dashed up the stairs after Bunny and her father. "Be careful, Raymond!" Volta called back. "The stairs have something against us!"  
  
* * *  
  
Four days later, everyone was out in the backyard. "I want you to show them what you can do," Domon explained to his students. "So that everyone will know where to start teaching you. You'll each work with only one of them, though," he added. "Now go get into your Gundams. You'll be fighting each other. Nothing difficult."  
  
All five rushed out to their Gundams and got in. "First up, Haaz and Chikori," Domon announced.  
  
The fights lasted about five minutes each. Chikori beat Haaz pretty quickly, with only two assaults. Then Volta and Chikori battled. Again, Chikori won. Bunny fought Chikori, and won. Chikori faced Brad, but Brad defeated the Siren Gundam easily. After about twenty matches, Bunny and Brad were ready to fight.  
  
"Gundam fight ready." Bunny started.  
  
"GO!" Brad shouted.  
  
Eagle Gundam rose high into the sky and dove down at Mirror Gundam. Bunny rolled to the side and dodged the attack. If Brad didn't use a particular attack, Bunny couldn't use her mirrors. She dodged again, jumping to the side.  
  
"Wing Whirlwind Attack!" Brad shouted.  
  
The attack zoomed forward and caught Mirror Gundam off guard. But Bunny had raised a mirror quick enough to send part of the attack back at her opponent. The attack fell back on Brad and hit his Eagle's wing. Now it was maimed and couldn't fly. Good, thought Bunny.  
  
She ran head on at the Eagle Gundam. But Brad was ready for her attack and caught her with his other wing. "Ah!" Bunny screamed in surprise. Brad flipped Mirror Gundam over his shoulder. Bunny hit the ground with a crash. Brad had won.  
  
"Ow," she moaned and got out of her Gundam. "Why'd you hit me so hard, Brad? It was just a friendly match. I mean, really-" Bunny was cut off my Haaz.  
  
He was sitting on top of his Gundam, or, more like jumping up and down on his Gundam's shoulder. "Look! Look! Look at my hand!" Everyone peered at his hand. It was glowing. It was glowing with a crest.The Ace of Clubs! Haaz was the Ace of Clubs. "Look, look!"  
  
Suddenly, Bunny fell to the ground. She looked at her hand. Her Jack of Diamons crest was glowing, too. Volta and Brad looked at their hands. "Oh, my god. I'm the Black Joker! I'm the Black Joker!" Volta whispered and gradually grew louder.  
  
Brad stared at his hand in awe. Bunny looked at his hand, too. The King of Hearts. "Congratulations, Brad," she said.  
  
He stared at her coldly. "Buzz off."  
  
"I was just trying to be nice. Sheesh," she said.  
  
"I'm the Black Joker!" Volta shouted. Bunny looked at the former Shuffle Alliance members. They looked quite smug and self-pleased.  
  
Chikori looked at his hand, too. His Queen of Spades crest was also glowing.  
  
"I'm the Ace of Clubs! The Ace of Clubs!" Haaz continued jumping up and down on his Gundam's shoulder. "I'm the Aceeeee ooooofffff Cccccllllluuuuubbbbbsssss!" Haaz finished as he fell backwards off his Gundam. He quickly got up and started jumping up and down again. "I'm the Ace of Clubs!"  
  
"Black Joker is better," Volta said.  
  
"Is not."  
  
"Is too."  
  
"Na-uh."  
  
"Ya-huh."  
  
"Naw."  
  
"Yah."  
  
"No it isn't!"  
  
"Yes it is!"  
  
"Yes it is-I mean, 'No it isn't'!" Haaz hurriedly corrected himself.  
  
"Ha! You admitted it! I'm better than you are! I'm better than you are! Finally! I WIN!" Volta shouted so all the world could hear. 


	9. Confession

Chapter IX: Confession  
  
It was midnight. Everyone was asleep, except Bunny. She sat on the grass in the back yard, her feet dipped in the fish pool, that didn't have any fish in it. She wasn't tired. Anyway, she had to figure out how to get through to Brad. He was so dense! Last week, he had broken one of Haaz's models on purpose, just to show what a baby Haaz was. Thankfully, Bunny's father had been able to find a replacement and had brought it with him.  
  
She sighed. She knew she should go to sleep, but couldn't.Bunny whirled around as she heard someone walk up behind her. She saw a shadow move. "Who- who's there?" Her voice was shaky. No answer. Bunny peered into the darkness. She could tell that someone was there. Well, if the person wants to kill me, he would have done so already. Must be Chikori or something, she thought and went back to staring at the swirling water in the pool.  
  
"Sorry," she heard someone say from behind her.  
  
Bunny turned around as fast a lightening. It was Brad. She blinked. "Wha'?" she said in amazement.  
  
"I said that I was sorry." His voice was sharp.  
  
Bunny kept on staring up at him. Brad was sorry. Brad was sorry? Brad never apologized to anyone. Brad never even spoke to anyone. "About what?" she asked.  
  
Brad just stared at her. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."  
  
"Oh," Bunny said and remembered what had happened earlier that night. She turned back to the pond. Brad sat down beside her.  
  
"I'm an idiot, okay?" he said, staring at his hands.  
  
She turned to him. "Why do you say that? If you're an idiot, you must be a pretty smart one considering that you're the King of Hearts."  
  
"I don't deserve it," he said.  
  
"Yes you do. You're a great Gundam fighter! And don't you dare think otherwise."  
  
"I mean I cheat. Well, I used to anyway," he said. "Why am I telling you this?" he shook his head and asked himself.  
  
"I donno. I'm just listening. But how can you cheat at Gundam fighting?"  
  
"That's exactly what I can't tell you. If I do, you'll tell Mr. Kasshu."  
  
"No, I won't."  
  
"Yes, you will."  
  
"I swear on-on my Gundam," Bunny said.  
  
Brad sighed. People only did that when they really meant it. "Oh, all right then. Maybe it'll be good for me. Soul cleansing or something like that." Brad breathed in. "I used to use the Berserker system."  
  
"You WHAT?" she screamed.  
  
"Keep it down, there are people sleeping here," he hushed her. "How did you get your hands on the Berserker system? You lived in a shack in San Francisco. How does a person who lives in a shack with barely enough food to live off of get his hands on the Berserker system?"  
  
"My father," Brad replied.  
  
"But I thought your father-"  
  
"He did."  
  
"Then how could he give you the Berserker system?"  
  
"He didn't give it to me, you idiot! He told me where it was right before he left. So I found it and started using in when I battled. And eventually I didn't need it anymore. Sort of like what happened to Allenby Biazury. Except she never even became part of the Shuffle Alliance. I feel awful."  
  
"Yah, you should."  
  
"Huh, well, you're really useful to have around when a guy needs to let everything out," Brad snorted.  
  
"You would have done as well without the system," Bunny assured him.  
  
"Uh-huh. Right," he said sarcastically.  
  
"Really, Brad. You're a great Gundam fighter. Everybody thinks so."  
  
"How would you know?"  
  
"Well, it just so happens that I actually communicate with other human beings, unlike you. People hand over very useful information at times. Really, everyone thinks you are the best Gundam fighter out of all of us."  
  
"Thanks, Rabbit," he said. "That actually makes me feel a bit better." Brad got up and left.  
  
"It's BUNNY!" Bunny called after him.  
  
Brad was more sociable after that. He responded when Bunny greeted him the next morning. And although Brad wouldn't talk to anyone else, despite how much Bunny tried to make him, he talked to her.  
  
* * *  
  
"The Gundam fights start tomorrow!" Volta scrambled down the stairs. "The Gundam fights start tomorrow!" She started jumping up and down.  
  
"Volta, you're twenty years old, give it a rest," Bunny said, never taking her eyes off of the bonnet she was sewing for Cathery.  
  
Volta stopped. Something dawned upon her. "Oh my god! Oh my god! Only one of us can fight! Only either Haaz or I can fight! We can't both fight. It's against the rules. What am I going to do? What am I going to do?" Volta sat down on the floor next to Cathery and Chikori. "This is my biggest problem since I had to pull Mr. Guilsky's suitcase up both flights of stairs!"  
  
Domon entered the room. "What's wrong with her?" he asked, pointing at Volta.  
  
"Only one of us can fight," she said.  
  
"That is a problem," Domon observed. "HAAZ!" Domon called. "Get down here. We need to discuss something."  
  
Haaz came down the stairs, lugging four suitcases behind him. "Haaz, what are you doing with your suitcases?" Volta asked. "I refuse to lug them up those stairs."  
  
"I'm leaving, sis." Haaz had started calling everyone either 'bro' or 'sis' since Sai Sici had arrived.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, only one of us can fight in the Gundam tournament, and you're a much better pilot and fighter than I'll ever be. So I'm gonna let you represent Neo-Nepal. You deserve it way more than I do."  
  
Volta stared at him. "Oh my god. He does have a brain!" She jumped up. "My brother can think!" She calmed down. "You don't have to do that, Haaz," she said. "I could go home. I sort of miss Mom and Dad and Grandpa."  
  
"No. You're the better pilot," Haaz interrupted.  
  
"No ones going home," Domon said. "No matter who's going to represent Neo- Nepal you are both coming with the rest of us when we go fighting other Gundams."  
  
"Really, Mr. Kasshu?" Volta asked.  
  
Domon nodded.  
  
"Great!" Volta slapped Haaz on the back. "You can be my personal cheering squad!"  
  
"Joy," Haaz rolled his eyes upward.  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning was the first day of the Gundam fight. "We'll ride in our Gundams. It's faster that way," Domon announced.  
  
The former Shuffle Alliance members had left, all except for Chibodee, who wanted to travel with the new Shuffle Alliance.  
  
"I think he likes you," Bunny whispered to Volta.  
  
She smacked her friend. "Oh, be quiet! He's about forty years old now!"  
  
"Still."  
  
"Shut it."  
  
Everyone gathered outside. "Gundam fight ready." Domon started.  
  
"GO!" everyone else shouted in unison. The eighteenth Gundam tournament, the most chaotic since the thirteenth one, had begun.  
  
Sora~ Thank you soooo much for reading and reviewing my story! For that matter, thank you (all three of you) for reviewing my story! -_^ About you're first complaint: My story, and I had to have it happen because how else could Bunny meet Haaz and Volta and Chikori and Brad? And I wasn't exactly in the mood to be extra creative, so I stuck with that. Second complaint: I'm not exactly sure WHY the Shuffle Alliance members didn't keep in touch. I just sorta felt like it. And I'm sure they did a bit of corresponding. Chibodee and Domon were too bust getting drunk to keep in touch, Argo was always silent and never said anything to begin with, Sai Sici was probably too absorbed in restoring the Shoalin Temple and kissing his picture of Cecil, and you know what George was busy doing. I agree, Haaz is my favorite character, and you haven't seen anything yet.Ooops! *scolds myself* Idiot ShadowTide! You're supposed to keep that stuff a SECRET! Oh well.Yah, Haaz has a major, major injury and he's out for a couple chapters.There I go again!  
  
For the few of you who read this thing, the next chapter is full of strange, strange, straaaange happenings. It's a bit wacked. Just thought I'd warn you.  
  
Toodles. Until next time!  
  
~* ShadowTide *~ 


	10. All Sorts of Arbitrary Happenings

Chapter X: All Sorts of Arbitrary Happenings  
  
"Chikori, what country?" Domon asked once everyone was inside his or her Gundam.  
  
"Neo-Holland," Chikori replied.  
  
"Why Neo-Holland?"  
  
Chikori shrugged. "It's a place to start."  
  
They traveled for two days before arriving in Neo-Holland. The city was like the rest of the world: trashed, polluted, and ugly. And to think that the world had once been beautiful!  
  
"Let's go find the Nether Gundam," Chikori said. Everyone got out of their Gundams; it was less conspicuous. "Hans Deburg!" Chikori called out the name of Nether Gundam's pilot.  
  
They walked around the city until they came to a Gundam ring. "Hans Deburg!" Chikori called inside.  
  
"Hello," a head popped up. "You called?" he asked.  
  
Chikori nodded. "I'm representing Neo-Denmark in this years Gundam fight and I would to have to honor of being your first opponent." (George had taught all five of the Gundam trainees how to politely ask for a Gundam fight.)  
  
Hans nodded. "Can do," he said. "Come on in."  
  
* * *  
  
"Gundam fight ready." Hans started.  
  
"GO!" Chikoir finished. The two were in the battle arena, ready to fight.  
  
"Voice of the Siren Attack!" Chikori shouted as a sword appeared in his Gundam's hand. Chikori ran forward and attacked the Nether Gundam head-on. Hans was ready. He blocked Chikori with pure manual strength. Siren Gundam went flying backwards. Now the Nether Gundam attacked. Chikori dodged to the side. He lunged forward again and this time hit Hans accurately. The Nether Gundam fell backwards, onto the dirt floor. Once again, Chikori pulled out his sword and aimed it at the Nether Gundam's arm. "Ya! I surrender! I surrender!" Hans said.  
  
"Wow, you're good," Hans observed as they got out of their Gundams.  
  
"I was trained by the best," Chikori answered humbly.  
  
"Not bad, Chik, not bad." Chibodee used his nickname for Chikori often.  
  
"Thanks, Mr. Crockett."  
  
* * *  
  
"So, where to now?" Everyone had squashed themselves into Domon's 'Lander. They had long ago decided that traveling by Gundam attracted way too much unwanted and unneeded attention. Volta had already defeated Neo-Norway, Domon Neo-South Africa, and Brad Neo-Singapore and Neo-Iraq. Bunny still hadn't fought a singly Gundam.  
  
"Come on, Rabbit. You need to fight sometime if you want to win this thing," Brad teased her.  
  
"Humph. I'll fight who I want when I want," she replied sourly.  
  
"Are you afraid?" Brad asked mockingly.  
  
"Why would I be?"  
  
"Because you haven't fought anyone yet."  
  
"Are you calling me a coward?"  
  
"Basically."  
  
"I refuse to be pulled in by your little psychological trap!" Bunny said stubbornly.  
  
"What are you waiting for? A personal invitation to a Gundam match? I'd challenge you, but." Brad let the sentence drift. All of the former and new Shuffle Alliance members had promised that they would fight each other closer to the end of the tournament.  
  
"Fine. Have it your way," Brad said as he leaned back, "but don't come running to me when you loose the tournament."  
  
"Mr. Kasshu, where are we going?" Bunny asked and leaned forward.  
  
Domon shrugged. "Why don't you decide?" he suggested.  
  
"Um.okay." Bunny glared at Brad, who shrugged at her angelically. "How about Neo-Mongolia?"  
  
"Why Neo-Mongolia?" Brad asked.  
  
"Maybe I could 'accidentally' throw you out of the 'Lander in the middle of the Gobi," Bunny replied sweetly.  
  
"You wouldn't do that, would you?" Brad looked hurt.  
  
Bunny laughed. "Don't be silly!"  
  
"Can we throw Haaz out of here in Neo-Mangolia?" Volta asked, jumping into the conversation.  
  
"Sure. I don't see why not," Bunny said.  
  
"Hey! That's not fair! I let Volta fight instead of me and you guys still want to abandon me!" Haaz complained.  
  
"Nothing personal, bro." Volta had also picked up Sai Sici's nicknames. "It's just that we need brain power here in order to come up with strategies to beat the other Gundams and well, all you have in a hollow head," Volta explained.  
  
"No one has any respect for a guy," Haaz muttered.  
  
"You're telling me," Chibodee put in. "I swear, your sister has no respect for the older guys around here."  
  
"Mr. Crockett, I think I see another gray hair!" Volta said.  
  
"See what I mean?" Chibodee asked Haaz, completely unruffled by Volta's comment.  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you actually going to fight in Neo-Magnolia, or are you just bringing us there?" Brad asked Bunny again, as they sat in their large hotel room., which all eight of them shared.  
  
"I'll probably actually fight this time," Bunny admitted, staring at the floor. "Mirror Gundam needs some exercise."  
  
"She's not the only one," Haaz said in passing.  
  
"What did you say Haaz?" Bunny stood up and stared at Haaz with a penetrating look.  
  
"He, he. Nothing," he replied.  
  
Bunny stared at him some more. "I'm watching you, Lao. Always watching you," Bunny said at last, mockingly serious.  
  
Haaz scrambled away from that end of the room. "Do you really think she's watching me? Did she see that donut I stole from her lunch the other day?" Haaz confided in Volta.  
  
"Idiot!" she said and hit him on the head. "She was joking!"  
  
"Okay, people! Off to bed! If you want to fight a Gundam tomorrow, you need your rest," Chibodee said, ushering people to their beds.  
  
"We're twenty! We don't need you to tell us when to go to sleep!" Volta complained.  
  
"Evidently, you do, considering that every time you stay up late you seem to be excessively hyper and then suddenly tired."  
  
"Uh! I hate being under-age!" Volta complained.  
  
"One more year, one more year," Chibodee reassured her. "Now git!" He pushed Volta towards her bed.  
  
"Ow," Volta said as she rubbed her back. "I'm going, I'm going."  
  
"Okay. Goo' night, children!" Chibodee said and closed the door that led to the adjoining room, where Domon, Rain, and Chibodee slept.  
  
Volta threw a pillow at the door just as Chibodee closed it. "That was childish," Chibodee said as he blocke the flying pillow. "Ow! You don't have to hit me with both of your pillows! Don'tcha need one to sleep with? Guess not. Bye!" Chibodee slammed the door shut as five pillows came flying towards him at once.  
  
* * *  
  
Bunny woke up earlier that any of the others. She got dressed and walked outside and down the hall silently. Her first official Gundam battle. Boy, was she nervous! What if I loose? What if I disgrace Neo-France? What if no one ever wants to see me again because of my embarrassing defeat? Oy, vey! Before she knew it, everyone else was awake.  
  
"Bunny, get back in here!" Volta screamed through the door.  
  
"Why?" Bunny turned around and started walking back towards her room.  
  
" 'Cause I said so!" Evidently, Volta was not in a good mood that morning.  
  
"Coming, coming," Bunny mumbled and quickened her pace. "What's the matter?" she asked and closed the door behind her.  
  
"Look at him! Just look at him!" Volta pointed in disgust at her sleeping brother.  
  
"What's wrong with him today?" Bunny asked, puzzled.  
  
"He's still asleep and snoring! The morning of your first battle and he oversleeps!" After a moment of frustration, Volta continued. "Will you help me get a pail of cold water?" she asked, turning to Bunny.  
  
"Sure," Bunny replied.  
  
"AHHH-" Haaz's scream was cut off as he started sputtering water instead. Bunny and Volta stood over him, looking rather pleased with themselves, an empty bucket beside them. "Why'd ya do that?" he asked and started getting out of bed.  
  
"It served its purpose," Volta observed.  
  
"Sure did," Bunny agreed and started walking away after Volta. "I just wonder if Haaz is even worth that much trouble. Hauling a bucket of cold water all the way from the bathroom to his bedside."  
  
"I'm not sure either, but think of it this way: now we don't have to listen to him sing in the shower today!" Volta said.  
  
* * *  
  
Mirror Gundam and Temjin Gundam stood ready for battle in the Neo-Mongolian arena. Bunny was walking towards her Gundam; the match was starting in five minutes. Suddenly, Brad pulled her over to the side of the hallway.  
  
"Bunny, I need to talk to you," he said as he cornered Bunny against the wall, a common habit. Bunny hated when he did it because she had to look into his eyes. You could just sink into them without even trying. They were like wells, never-ending wells.  
  
"Sure, Brad," she said and tried to make her escape from between the wall and Brad.  
  
"Bunny, it's serious," he said, and reluctantly let her go.  
  
She walked into the arena. The Mongolian fighter was waiting for her. He was sweater and jeans; obviously, he had not changed into the Gundam fighting suit yet. "Nice suit," he eyed her up and down.  
  
"Thanks," Bunny said and jumped into her Gundam. Her outfit was read, blue, and white, in the same order and pattern as the colors on the Neo-French flag.  
  
The Mongolian fighter-Bunny thought he had said his name was Addi Fu-also entered his Gundam.  
  
"Gundam fight ready."  
  
"GO!"  
  
The Termjin Gundam attacked. Mirror Gundam's arm mirror shot out like spikes and deflected the attack, sending it right back at Addi.  
  
"How did you do that?" Addi asked in awe.  
  
"I'm not telling," Bunny said secretively.  
  
Addi shrugged and tried attacking again, with the same result. The Tamjin Gundam fell backwards. Bunny ran at it, pulling out her sword as she did so. Addi rose quickly, just before Mirror Gundam attacked. Mongolia's Gundam evaded the head-on charge. Bunny twirled around quickly. All mirrors popped out at the Tamjin Gundam sent another attack heading Bunny's way. The attack bounced off the mirrors and hurled itself right into the Tamjin Gundam's left arm.  
  
"Ah!" Addi screamed out in pain.  
  
Bunny winced inwardly. She hated attacking people; a little of her palace attitude still remained within her. As Addi tried to recover from his attack, Bunny ran forward, sword still in hand. She pushed it against the enemy Gundam's throat. It was her way of saying, "It's time you surrendered."  
  
Addi growled. He couldn't let a rookie win that easily. He could feel the sword pressed against his throat. "All right," Addi surrendered. You win."  
  
Was it really that easy? Was that all it took to win a Gundam fight? Bunny was surprised. At that rate, she would easily win the tournament.  
  
She jumped out of her Gundam. "That was easy," Bunny said as she walked towards away from the arena. "Thanks for the great battle, Addi!" she called back over her shoulder.  
  
Addi roared in anger. His annoyance and frustration got the better of him. No one walked away from him that easily! No one! Especially not some fancy Neo-French girl who hadn't known what a Gundam was until three years ago!  
  
"Bunny! Watch out!" Brad called to her in warning.  
  
Bunny whirled around to see the Tamjin Gundam launching an attack right at her. "Addi! What are you doing?" Bunny screamed, too petrified to move.  
  
"No one defeats Addi Fu that easily!" Addi answered.  
  
What did I do? Bunny wondered silently in horror as the attack came nearer and nearer and nearer.She tried to move but it seemed like her legs were glued to the ground. She couldn't budge an inch, just stare at the Tamjin Gundam and the attack aimed straight at her.  
  
Suddenly, Bunny was on the ground, rolling away from the Gundam. All Addi's attack had done was make a hole in the ground. "You're disqualified!" Domon shouted. "You know attacking any Gundam fighter who is not in his or her Gundam is against the rules!"  
  
Addi simply stormed away in his Gundam. He had been a fool, thinking that he could get away with attacking someone in front of a live audience.  
  
Bunny stopped rolling. She was all dirty, but alive. She could fell someone next to her. "Ugh," Bunny said and sat up unsteadily. The world was spinning around her. She flopped back down on the ground.  
  
"Bunny?" Brad shook her. "Bunny, are you all right?" he asked, concern filling his voice.  
  
"Fine, I think," she mumbled, her eyes still closed, as shy lay on the ground. "Ugh," she added.  
  
"That's sure an intellectual comment," Volta said. " 'Ugh!' It's almost as deep as Haaz's 'Look at my Shining Gundam model fly! Weeeeeee!' " Volta commented, imitating her brother.  
  
"What's wrong with you, Volt?" Chibodee asked, liberally using his nickname for the Neo-Nepal fighter.  
  
"Never call me that again! I am not the International System unit of electric what-not!" Volta retorted.  
  
"Wha-what happened?" Bunny asked weakly and she tried to sit up again. Brad supported her. "Thanks," she looked up at him and said.  
  
"Isn't it sort of obvious?" Volta snapped.  
  
"I think it would be better if we just ignore Miss-electric-unit-system," Chibodee advised.  
  
"Urrr!" Volta growled in anger at Chibodee. "Some day, Mr. Crockett, I'm gonna get you!" Volta warned, remaining as polite as possible.  
  
"What happened?" Bunny asked again, leaning against Brad.  
  
"You got out of your Gundam, Tamjin Gundam fired an attack at you. Like the idiot you are-sometimes I think you're almost as bad as Haaz-you just stood there expecting someone to come along and save your little stupid self. Well, it-" Volta said acidly.  
  
"Volta, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all," Bunny advised.  
  
"I was just telling the facts-"  
  
"With a bit of unwanted and unnecessary commentary," Chibodee put in.  
  
Volta ground her teeth, looked at Chibodee, and stormed off, cursing in Indian under her breath.  
  
Chikori took off from where Volta had stopped. "Brad pushed you aside just in time and both of you went rolling and rolling and rolling and rolling and rolling and rolling and rolling and-"  
  
"Are you done yet?" Bunny intervened.  
  
"-and rolling and rolling and finally stopped," Chikori finished.  
  
Bunny rose, a bit unsteadily. "Thank you Brad," she said as she started to blush.  
  
Brad looked down at his dirty shoes and mumbled a, "You're welcome."  
  
The princess of Neo-France walked off in the direction of the building that was next to the battling arena. She entered a room and plopped down on the bed, exhausted. Rolling around on the ground could really wear a person out.  
  
* * *  
  
"Hey. Can I come in?" Chibodee opened the door to Volta's room.  
  
"No one had any sense of personal space around here. I swear, I'm gonna get a big bubble and stick myself in the middle," Volta replied sourly, but made no move to keep Chibodee out. Why him? she thought miserably.  
  
"What's wrong with you today, Volt?" Chibodee asked, leaning against the wall.  
  
"Nothin'," Volta replied quietly, pretending to focus on brushing her hair.  
  
"Yeah, right. And this is not a nose," Chibodee said, pointing to his nose. "You've been acting sour all day. No one else had the guts to come in here and face the wrath of Volta Lao, but someone had too. Otherwise we'll all be stuck with this annoying, bratty, sharp person who'd we all want to drown."  
  
"Just go away," Volta said coldly.  
  
"I'm not leavin' until you tell me what's up," Chibodee said stubbornly.  
  
"I told you, nothing is wrong!" Volta stook up and shouted.  
  
"Fine, be that way. I'll just stand here until I drive you totally insane and you finally spill it."  
  
"Humph," Volta replied and turned around. She started to vigorously comb her short hair and hummed a tune. After about ten minutes, Volta turned around. "Will you go away already?" she asked, annoyed.  
  
"Nope. I told you I was staying and I'm staying."  
  
"You're almost as annoying as Haaz!" Volta insulted.  
  
"You think your brother is annoying? You should see me when I'm in good form," Chibodee replied.  
  
Volta turned around again, and, sure enough, in ten minutes she was facing Chibodee again. "Get out," Volta said a bit too calmly.  
  
Chibodee shook his head.  
  
"I told you to leave!"  
  
The Neo-American fighter didn't budge.  
  
"Go! Get out! Leave! Be gone, evil spirit! Shoo! Bye bye!" Volta stood up and directed Chibodee to the door. "This is a door. It opens and closes. Now, I want you to open it and GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" Volta shouted.  
  
Still, Chibodee made no move to turn the doorknob. Instead, he turned around so that he was facing Volta again. "Ya know, you look pretty when you're angry," he observed.  
  
Suddenly, all the anger drained from Volta's face and she looked down at the wooden floor. "Out," she said weakly and pointed to the door.  
  
Haaz opened the door a creak, and, seeing that no one was killed yet, entered the room bravely. He looked from a somewhat blushing Chibodee to a completely red Volta. Haaz looked at Chibodee, then Volta, Chibodee then Volta. His eyes widened in understanding. "He he!" Haaz started laughing hysterically. "Oh, god! Volta's in love with Chibodee! Volta's in love with Chibodee!" Haaz teased his sister.  
  
"OUT!" Chibodee and Volta said simultaneously.  
  
"Volta's in love with Chibodee! Volta's in love with Chibodee!" Haaz repeated again and again, not moving towards the door at all. Volta moved forward and pushed Haaz out the door. "Ah! What was that for? All I was saying was-"  
  
"SHUT IT!" Volta screamed at her brother and slammed the door shut. "Well, that takes care of one pesticide," Volta said.  
  
Chibodee was looking at the floor. "Now to get rid of the other," Volta murmured and pulled up close to Chibodee. She kissed him soundly on the lips. Slowly-but definitely willingly-Chibodee put his arms around Volta and kissed her back.  
  
* * *  
  
Bunny woke to the sound of a gently knock on her door. I guess I fell asleep, she thought. "Who is it?" Bunny asked through the door.  
  
"Brad," Brad replied. "May I come in?"  
  
"Sure," Bunny said.  
  
Slowly, Brad opened the door and walked in. "Rabbit, you know how earlier I told you I wanted to talk to you about something?" he started slowly.  
  
Bunny nodded.  
  
"Well, could we discuss that something now?" Brad asked and sat down on the bed beside Bunny.  
  
"Sure," Bunny replied.  
  
"Well, I'm not very good at this stuff, and this is sort of hard for me to say, but, well.let me start with this: what do you think of Chibodee and Volta?"  
  
"What do you mean? I think they're both great people. Why?" Bunny replied, puzzled.  
  
"No-not as people, but as, well-having a sort of romantic relationship?" Brad jumped in.  
  
"Them? Both of them in love with each other? Well, well, I think.I think it's absurd! Volta is always ready to kill Mr. Crockett and Mr. Crocket is always ready to annoy Volta. They practically hate each other!" Bunny said. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Well, I sort of.sort of saw them." Brad let the sentence go.  
  
"You mean you were spying on Volta?" Bunny asked.  
  
"No! As I was walking to this room, I passed Volta's room and, well." Brad obviously wasn't comfortable discussing this topic.  
  
"Brad, it's insane!"  
  
"I know. I certainly hope it is, anyway."  
  
"They weren't doing anything more that kissing, were they?" Bunny asked.  
  
Brad shook his head.  
  
"Good," Bunny sighed. There was a moment or two of silence, then, "So, Brad. There was something you wanted to talk about with me?" Bunny asked.  
  
"Never mind," Brad said and shook his head back and forth. "It's not important. It can wait. Good night, Rabbit," he said and left the room. Bunny looked at the clock. Ten o'clock at night! It was time to get some rest. They would probably be traveling some more in the morning.  
  
* * *  
  
Two shadowed figures stole into Bunny's room. They were wearing black, and it was impossible to identify them. Slowly, they entered the room through the window. Bunny didn't make a sound. Good. She was still asleep. The two men quickly gagged Bunny gently, so not to wake her, and put her in a bag. Silently, they climbed back out the window.  
  
"Gently, now," one of them said quietly. "We don't want to wake her up." They put her in the back of the black truck, and drove away. 


	11. Gathering

Chapter XI: Gathering  
  
"Bunny? Bunny?" Brad opened the door to Bunny's room the next morning. "Bunny? Are you in here? Bunny?" He shrugged and closed the door. "Has anyone seen Bunny?" he called down the hall.  
  
"Nope!"  
  
"Not me."  
  
"Isn't she up already?"  
  
"Yeah, she's usually the first one up."  
  
"Chikori, have you seen Bunny?"  
  
"Naw-uh," Chikori replied through a mouthful of toothpaste.  
  
"Maybe she evaporated!" Haaz suggested.  
  
"HAAZ!" eight voices yelled at Haaz at once.  
  
"Okay, okay. I'll be quiet!"  
  
After a while, Brad started to panic. "I haven't seen Bunny anywhere! What if something happened to her? What if she was kidnapped? What if someone murdered her? What if-"  
  
"Cut it out! You're giving me a headache!" Volta covered her ears as Brad continued pouring out a list of all the misfortunes that could have befallen Bunny in the past night. "I'm sure she's fine, Brad." Volta noticed that this was the first time Brad had ever had a conversation with her.  
  
By noon, everyone was panicking. What had happened the princess of Neo- France?  
  
"I found something! I found something!" Haaz jumped up and down as he flung a piece of paper around in the air.  
  
"Just read it," Volta said.  
  
"It says, 'We have Bubby. Come along to the watchtower in-' " Haaz was cut off.  
  
"You don't even know how to read! Gimme that!" Volta grabbed the paper from Haaz. "It says, 'We have the Neo-French princess Bunny de Sand. Come to the Eiffel Tower in Paris within two days, and your princess lives. Bring the Berserker system. Brad Klements will know what I'm talking about. I believe he still has it. Only the former and new Shuffle Alliance members may come. I hope it will be a very-enjoyable-experience for you all. I wish for you to meet a friend of mine: the Hell Gundam. I'm sure this will prove to be a very educational experience for you all. Signed, The Ace of Hearts.' " Volta finished reading the letter.  
  
There was a moment of silence as the message sunk in. "Let's go," Domon said. "We'll stop and pick up the others along the way. Ride in your Gundams. It'll be much faster." In a moment, everyone was in his or her Gundam, ready to go.  
  
* * *  
  
"Sai Sici! Stop the battle immideatly. We need to go, now!" Domon interfeered an ongoing battle between Sai Sici and the Gundam fighter of Neo-Malaysia.  
  
"Wha'? Huh? I can't interrupt a Gundam fight! I'd be disqualified!" Sai Sici protested.  
  
"I'll end the match for you, then," Haaz volunteered and quickly removed the head of the Scythe Gundam. " 'A Gundam whose headesection is destroyed is desqualified." Haaz quoted from the Gundam regulations.  
  
Reluctantly, Sai Sici agreed. "Okay. But remind me, where are we going?"  
  
"Neo-Russia. We need Argo," Domon replied curtly.  
  
"Whatever you say, bro. Let's go! Hey, that rhymes, doesn't it? 'Whatever you say, bro! Let's go!' "  
  
"No wonder Sai Sici chose Haaz to be the next Ace of Clubs. Their intellect levels are identical!" Volta whispered to Chibodee through the speakers; he snickered in agreement.  
  
* * *  
  
"Natasha, we need to see Argo this instant!" It was half a day later and Domon was having serious trouble getting through to Argo's wife.  
  
"He's in training. Come back later. Argo never interrupts his training for anything-I'm sorry," Natasha said stubbornly.  
  
"Maybe he'll agree to come out when he sees this," Domon replied and held out the ransom note that had been left by Bunny's bedside.  
  
Natasha scanned the paper quickly, a look of horror filling her face. "ARGO!" she screamed as she ran into their house. "ARGO! Get down here this instant! I don't care if you're training or in the middle of a Gundam fight! This is more important. ARGO!" she screamed up at Argo.  
  
Argo Guilsky came bounding down the stairs. "What?" he asked.  
  
"Read this," Natasha thrust the paper in front of his face.  
  
Argo read it quickly and understood the importance of the matter immediately. "What are we waiting for?" he asked.  
  
* * *  
  
"So you're telling me that there is a new Dark Gundam, except this time it's called the Hell Gundam? Then how can it be the Dark Gundam if it's the Hell Gundam?" Sai Sici asked through the speakers.  
  
"It's like a mutated form of the Dark Gundam or something. It's more powerful," Chibodee said.  
  
"Oh," Sai Sici replied intellectually. "And you're telling me that some people kidnapped Bunny and are holding her for ransom?"  
  
"Yes!" four voices responded at once.  
  
"No offense or anything, but why do we care? I mean, George and Marie- Louise could always have another baby, right?" Sai Sici asked.  
  
Everyone glared at him. "Bunny is special. She's not like anyone else and I'm not going to let her die," Brad replied coldly.  
  
"Well, if all we're doing is going on a rescue mission, can I go home now?" Sai Sici complained.  
  
"You idiot! Didn't you read the note? All of the former and new Shuffle Alliance members must be present. And we also have to find out what that Hell Gundam thing is and who's piloting it," Volta said. Could a man ever be stupider than Sai Sici? she asked herself silently.  
  
"Wait! So there's this new Dark Gundam called the Hell Gundam, right? Then how can it be the Dark Gundam if it's the Hell Gundam?" Haaz repeated Sai Sici's question.  
  
And there you have it, ladies and gentleman. Haaz Lao is officially the stupidest human being known to mankind! Volta thought in disgust.  
  
* * *  
  
Nine Gundams landed in the backyard of the Neo-French palace in Paris. Ten figures emerged from the Gundams. "We need to see His Majesty at once," Domon said as they neared the gates of the palace.  
  
"His Majesty George de Sand is busy at the moment. I'm sure he can see you later this afternoon," the guard replied coldly.  
  
"Tell him it involves his daughter," Domon said, getting a bit angry.  
  
"I'm sorry, but he is in the middle of a business transaction and-"  
  
"You fool!" Domon pushed the guard against the gate. "Let me in now or I'll pull the gate apart myself."  
  
"Yes, sir," the guard gulped and pushed a button, opening the gate.  
  
Everyone filed in after Domon.  
  
The door banged open as Domon and the others barged into the room George was holding his conference in.  
  
"Domon!" George stood up in surprise. "Please, Domon, come back later. You know how I hate it when you barge in-excuse me-drop in at the wrong moment," George said.  
  
"George, it's really important," Rain put in. "It's about Bunny."  
  
"Bunny?" Domon had George's attention immediately. "What happened to Bunny? Is she all right? Where is she? I don't see her anywhere! Domon Kasshu, what have you done with my daughter?" George asked, momentarily ruffled.  
  
"She was kidnapped," Domon replied.  
  
"Oh, god," George muttered and put his head down on the table. "Why me? Why Bunny?" he asked to no one in particular.  
  
"Would you like to read the note?" Domon asked.  
  
"Oh, all right. It's inevitable. I'd have to read it eventually," George said sadly and took the paper from Domon's outstretched hand.  
  
Slowly, George read the note. It all sunk in. "Oh god." His face was a picture of pure sorrow. "We have to wait for tomorrow to go save my daughter? Why?" George smashed his hand-a bit too forcefully-on the table. "Excuse me," he said and turned to the man sitting at the other end of the now seriously damaged table. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid our thrilling discussion of the decrease in the number of cats in Neo-France must be cut short. Please, come back in a week or two," George led the man to the door.  
  
" 'Thrilling discussion of the decrease in the number of cats in Neo- France'?" Chibodee asked, seriously doubting that the conversation had been the least bit interesting.  
  
George shrugged. "I'm a polite man, unlike someone else I know," George said and arched an eyebrow and Chibodee.  
  
"But really, was it interesting?" Chibodee asked, ignoring George's remark.  
  
"It was a complete bore. Now, please, tell me exactly what happened," George begged of Domon and the others.  
  
"The last I saw of her was the day before, right after her Gundam fight with Tamjin Gundam. The next morning, Brad Klements discovered that she had gone missing." Domon told the story.  
  
"Everyone be up and about by nine tomorrow. Now, I'd like to talk to Mr. Brad Klements, alone, please," George said and everyone except Brad left the room. "Please, Mr. Klements, sit down," George said.  
  
Brad sat down in a leather chair.  
  
"Exactly what do you know about the Berserker system?" George sat down across from him.  
  
Brad gulped and shook his head. "Nothing, sir." How could he tell the king of Neo-France about the Berserker system without getting disqualified from the tournament? He could only trust Bunny with the truth.  
  
"Please, Mr. Klements, we both know that you are lying. I will either extract the truth from you easily, or painfully. Your choice. I am set on getting my daughter back. And I'm going to do it with or without your assistance, although with would be much easier," George said coldly.  
  
Brad remained silent. He couldn't tell.  
  
"Please! I promise that whatever the truth is, it will not disqualify you from the tournament," George assured Brad. "I know we both want to save Bunny."  
  
Brad gulped. "Fine. But you won't disqualify me?" he asked.  
  
George nodded.  
  
"I'd been using the Berserker system for ten years, ever since I started Gundam fighting." Brad paused. It's too late to back out now. "Eventually, I got powerful enough so that I didn't need the system any more, but I always kept it with me-"  
  
"What do you mean 'have'? The Berserker system isn't an object. It's a state of mind," George said.  
  
For a moment, Brad was silent. "My father. He was a scientist. He created a way to actually hold the Berserker system. To use it yourself, when you want to. And he gave it too me, well, sort of. I've always kept it with me, and still do."  
  
"Brad, are you telling me that you have the Berserker system?" George asked in disbelief.  
  
Brad nodded. "Exactly."  
  
"You will bring it tomorrow, won't you?" George asked.  
  
"Of course! I'd do anything to save Bunny!" Brad said emotionally.  
  
"So would I."  
  
* * *  
  
Volta knocked hesitantly on the door, which opened shorty after. Chibodee stood framed in the doorway, only in his boxers. Volta eyed him critically and said, "May I come in?"  
  
"Sure," Chibodee said and stood aside to let her in. "What d'yah need?"  
  
"Chibodee, I'm worried," Volta said.  
  
"What about?" Chibodee came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Volta leaned against his bare chest and sighed. For a moment, Chibodee's skin tingled. No woman had ever leaned against him like Volta was doing now. No woman made him feel the way Volta did.  
  
"About Bunny. What if she's hurt, or hungry, or thirsty? What if she's dead? What if the people who wrote the note were lying? What if they don't give Bunny back? What if-"  
  
"-The sky falls down? What if Haaz goes into a coma? What if you stop worrying? Volta, nothing will happen to Bunny. Just chill," Chibodee said. Again Volta sighed. Of course Chibodee was right. Volta leaned against Chibodee and relaxed, slowly slipping into sleep.  
  
"Volta?" Chibodee whispered, but Volta was sound asleep. Chibodee lay her on his bead and placed himself on her other side. With his back against the backboard of the bed, he too slipped into the land of sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
"Hey, Chibodee!" Domon knocked on Chibodee's door. "Chibodee! You in there?" He knocked louder and finally, in frustration, tried to open the door. It was unlocked. Domon silently opened the door to see if Chibodee was there. He looked around the room. Nothing. "Chibodee?" he asked again, quietly.  
  
Then his eyes fell on the bed. Chibodee and Volta were sleeping, Chibodee's arms wrapped tightly around the fighter from Neo-Nepal, as if on the condition that he let go, she would disappear.  
  
"Oh, boy," Domon whispered in shock. He stared harder at the bed, making sure that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. The full impact of what he was seeing suddenly hit him. Chibodee had fallen for a twenty-year- old?!?! And Volta was in love with Chibodee?!?!? They were practically at each other's throats! As Domon thought about the last two days, he realized that Volta nd Chibodee hadn't been ready to kill each other on the spur of the moment.  
  
"God," Domon sighed and closed the door behind him. "No one's gonna believe me this time-" he said to himself.  
  
"No one's gonna believe you about what?" Rain asked as she heard Domon mumble to himself.  
  
"Oh, nothing. I think I need glasses, that's all," Domon replied absentmindedly.  
  
"Please tell me," Rain begged. "Please. I promise I'll believe you."  
  
"What the heck! I saw Volta and Chibodee together," he said.  
  
"You WHAT?!?!?" Rain asked in shock.  
  
"Not so loud, they're still asleep," Domon quieted his wife down.  
  
"Domon, are you telling me that Volta and Chibodee are in love?" Rain asked.  
  
Domon nodded.  
  
"Oh, I think it's wonderful! It's so romantic! Almost as good as what happened to us!" Rain clapped her hands together in delight.  
  
"Please, don't remind me," Domon begged with a pained look on his face.  
  
Inside of Chibodee's room, Volta was waking up. "Chibodee? Chibodee?" she murmured softly in Chibodee's ear.  
  
'Wha'?" he asked, still half asleep.  
  
"I think we should get up," Volta adivsed.  
  
"Why would we want to do a thing like that?" Chibodee was now awake.  
  
"Because the sooner we get Bunny back, the sooner I get to see you again," Volta replied.  
  
"Hmm. Good point." Chibodee stretched his arms and accidentally pushed Volta off the bed.  
  
"Chibodee!" She stood up and hit him on the head. "Get up this instant!"  
  
"Why?" Chibodee said and tried to go back to sleep.  
  
"Haven't we been through this already?" Volta asked in annoyance.  
  
"Yah, I think so." Chibodee agreed, but made no move of getting up, either.  
  
"Chibodee Crocket, you are impossible! I seriously sympathize with the women who makes the mistake of marrying you!" Volta shouted, a bit too loudly.  
  
"But wouldn't that mean that you're sympathizing with yourself?" Chibodee asked.  
  
"It depends. If you eventually get out of that thing, maybe. But I refuse to have my husband waiting at the end of the church isle, still in bed! Now git!"  
  
"All right, all right. I'm up," Chibodee sighed.  
  
Chibodee reluctantly got out of bed. A pillow came flying at him, sending him smashing back into the bed. Volta giggled. "Why you little." Chibodee went on to describe Volta very colorfully.  
  
"That's nice, dear," Volta said. "Just get ready. We have an advanced-form- of-the-Dark Gundam to beat!" 


	12. All For Naught

Chapter XII: All For Naught  
  
"Hey guys! Guess what I just saw?" Domon said running into the dinning room.  
  
"What?" George asked.  
  
"Volta was in Chibodee's bed," Domon said smugly.  
  
"I told ya so," Haaz said childishly.  
  
Once the impact of what Domon was saying hit him, Sai Sici let out a bray of laughter. "Yah, right! Volta and Chibodee are always at each other's throats!"  
  
Then the spoken of walked in, talking earnestly. They sat down side by side and loaded their plates with pancakes, not breaking their conversation. Everyone but Domon and Rain stared. Then Sai opened his mouth once, twice, three times, but nothing came out. Finally, on his fourth try, Sai spoke.  
  
"Volta.were you in Chibodee's bed last night?" Sai asked, going strait to the point. Volta blushed, looked at Chibodee, who was smiling slightly, and nodded.  
  
"Told ya so!" Haaz said.  
  
Everyone ignored him and stared some more.  
  
* *  
  
"Ugh. Where am I?" Bunny thought out loud as she blinked. Her wrists hurt and her stomach rumbled loudly-let alone the dryness in her mouth. She tried to move her hands; they were numb. Bunny looked around her once her vision had cleared. Her feet flailed in thin air. Bunny looked down. The only thing between her and the ground was one-hundred-and-twenty-five feet of nothing. She could barely make out the neatly trimmed bushes below her. Oh, god. Help! Bunny thought. She tried to look up, but had trouble stretching her neck. She saw that a rope tied her wrists to a beam on the building she was hanging from. Pain shot through her arms and up her hands. There was an even more intense pain in her right hand. Even though she couldn't see it, Bunny instinctively knew what it was: her crest. She tried to remember where she was and what had happened to her. The latter drew a blank. The last thing Bunny remembered was when Brad had left.She craned her neck to get a better view of her surroundings. Suddenly, it registered in her brain. Oh my god! I'm hanging from the Eiffel Tower! Bunny thought frantically. "Help!" she screamed. "Someone, HELP!"  
  
* * *  
  
"Is everybody ready to go?" Domon asked once all the former and new Shuffle Alliance members had entered their Gundams.  
  
"Yep!" Chibodee and Volta replied.  
  
"Sure am, Bro!" Sai Sici said enthusiastically.  
  
"Oui, mon ami," George replied in French.  
  
Chikori nodded, as did Argo.  
  
"Definitely," Brad said.  
  
"Hunky-dory!" Haaz put in, happily enthusiastic.  
  
"Okay. Whatever that means," Domon muttered under his breath to no one in particular. "Let's go!" he said to everyone, and they were off.  
  
* * *  
  
"HELP! SOMEONE! CAN'T ANYONE HEAR ME? HELP!!" Bunny screamed and wriggled around, trying unsuccessfully to get her hands free from the rope. It seemed to be made of metal. "Help!" She looked down again. That's odd. Why isn't anyone here? The Eiffel Tower is usually crowded with tourists! Bunny thought, surprised. "HELP!" she screamed even louder.  
  
"Screaming won't help." Bunny turned to see a young sandy-blonde haired man leaning against a beam on the Eiffel Tower, next to her.  
  
"Huh? Who are you?" Bunny asked suspiciously.  
  
"Just call me your worst nightmare," the young man said and turned towards to horizon. "Oh, look. Here they come now." He jumped from beam to beam until he reached the bottom. "Dr. Klements!" the man called.  
  
Dr. Klements? But-but that was Brad's last name!  
  
An old man emerged from behind a stout tree. He had grayish-blond hair and the same nose as Brad. His eyes even looked the same.It was definitely Brad's father. Everything was the same.  
  
Bunny took her eyes away from the dim figure of Brad's father; even from that distance, she knew it was Brad's father. The princess of Neo-France looked forward at the horizon. There were ten Gundams heading her way. She recognized her father's Gundam Rose and Brad's Eagle Gundam. What are they doing? she wondered to herself. The Gundams neared.  
  
The young blond-haired man jumped into his own Gundam. It was humungous. Bigger than any Gundam she'd ever seen before. It looked somewhat familiar, but Bunny couldn't remember from where.  
  
The Gundams faced each other. "Give me back my daughter, you louse!" George growled.  
  
"Maybe, if you win," the man replied as he stood on his Gundam's shoulder. "But then again, maybe not."  
  
"Hand her over!" George said as he charged at the enemy Gundam, his Rose Bits ready to be launched. George launched his attack, but to no avail. The rose bits where sucked into the Gundam.  
  
"Thank you for that energy boost," the man said nonchalantly.  
  
"Huh? That's impossible! Only the Dark Gundam can." George said in astonishment.  
  
Suddenly, it hit Bunny. From her post on the tower, she screamed to her father. "FATHER! IT'S THE DARK GUNDAM, OR-OR SOME ADVANCED FORM! BE CAREFUL!!!"  
  
George nodded as be backed away from the Gundam. "You're daughter is rather smart," the enemy observed. "This is an advanced form of the Dark Gundam. It's called the Hell Gundam, the friend I was dying to let you meet. It's indestructible. Unbeatable. Domon Kasshu, I warned you that something would happen if you didn't let me train with you! And you, Brad Klements.oh, I have a score to settle with you."  
  
"Who are you?" Volta asked.  
  
The young man looked at his fingernails. "Oh, just a certain someone named Bersek Hamiltin. You've probably never heard of him."  
  
"WHAT? You're Bersek Hamiltin? I-I was about to give my crest to you!" George said in shock.  
  
"Too bad you didn't. If you had, your daughter might not be so close to dying, and Mr. Klements there might not be in mortal danger," Bersek replied.  
  
Everyone turned to Brad as he bent down in agony and started groaning. All he could see was a purplish haze. Everything was purple. He tried to get up, to speak, to bat an eyelid out of his own free will, but couldn't.  
  
"Brad!" Bunny shouted and tried even harder to get free. "Brad!"  
  
"I'm sorry I have to do this, Son, but it's necessary. You should never have gotten involved with the Berserker system," Dr. Klements said.  
  
But Brad couldn't respond. All he could do was think. Something possessed his body. It wasn't his anymore. Eagle Gundam's wings spread out. Everyone noticed that the wings looked different. Like what happened to Allenby's Gundam when she had gone into Berserker mode. Berserker mode. The words echoed in Domond's brain. Brad has gone into Berserker mode! he thought and immediately noticed the round purple disk that had fallen from the Eagle Gundam's cockpit. Brad moved to Bersek's side unwillingly. Brad tried to stop it, but couldn't. It had total control.  
  
"Oh. Look who decided to change sides," Bersek said. "Thank you, Dr. Klements." He turned to Brad's father who had an operating system in his hands. The scientist's face was a mask. "Enough chit-chat. Gundam fight ready." Bersek started.  
  
Slowly, Domon finished the sentence. "GO!" he growled.  
  
Eagle Gundam attacked Hell Gundam, giving it even more power. Brad was forced by the Berserker system to do so again and again and again. He did not know why.  
  
The others just stared. They were too shocked to do anything. Bunny watched in horror. What the hell does Brad think he's doing?!?!?!? Bunny couldn't hear what everyone below was saying to each other, as hard as she tried.  
  
Domon figured it out first. Of course! he thought. The same thing happened the first time I met the Dark Gundam. "Brad!" he shouted at the Eagle Gundam. "Brad, if you can hear me, please listen."  
  
Brad was all ears. He had to figure out a way to stop this new version of the Berserker system before it gained control of everything.  
  
"Brad, the Hell Gundam is weak by itself. It needs to absorb power in order to become strong. If there's any good left in you, just try for a minute to stop yourself. I can take it from there."  
  
Brad tried hard. Nothing happened. He tried harder. Still, nothing. Sweat was rolling down his forehead now. He gathered all his will power and focused on getting his body back. He felt the Berserker system breaking.Brad tried even harder. Finally! He did it! "Go, Domon!" Brad yelled.  
  
Domon jumped out of his Gundam and onto the Hell Gundam, right at Bersek who was still sitting on the Gundam's shoulder. Domon was about to grab Bersek when the young man jumped away. Brad couldn't keep it up much longer. Someone had to destroy him before the Berserker system gained control again. Maybe the system only worked in Gundams.it was a chance he'd have to take.  
  
"Haaz! Attack me!" Brad grunted.  
  
For a moment, Haaz was too stunned to do anything.  
  
"HAAZ!" Brad yelled again.  
  
Haaz came to his senses and launched an attack at the Eagle Gundam. It hit true, right in the cockpit of the Eagle Gundam. The impact of the blow sent Haaz flying backwards. He slammed into a nearby building, knocked unconscious.  
  
Brad felt his body giving. He prayed that the Berserker system would be smart enough to jump out of the Gundam. And it did. Brad felt himself jump out of his Gundam, and then he had control over his body again. He watched in anguish as Haaz's attack destroyed his Gundam. "Yes," Brad sighed in relief.  
  
Domon had jumped back into his Gundam, seeing that it was useless to follow Bersek all over his towering Gundam.  
  
Brad ran over to the Eiffel Tower and started climbing. He had to save Bunny.  
  
One-hundred-and-twenty-five feet above him, Bunny's mind was completely blank. She had seen Brad attack her friends, and then stop. But how? What had happened? Bunny looked down to see Brad trying to climb up. So that would mean that he's trying to help me. But they why was he fighting alongside the Hell Gundam? Bunny drew her attention back to the battle. Please, let Domon win, she begged.  
  
Domon was extremely close to defeating the now-very-weak Hell Gundam.  
  
Right before Domon could launch his last attack, Bersek lifted his horrible monstrosity into the sky. And he grabbed Dr. Klements and Bunny on the way.  
  
"Bunny!" Brad shouted as he jumped down from the Eiffel Tower.  
  
"Brad! Brad!" Bunny yelled down. Brad couldn't move, couldn't save her.  
  
"BUNNY!" Brad screamed. "BUNNY! NOOOOOOO!" 


	13. The More Successful Rescue Mission

Chapter XIII: The (More Successful) Rescue Mission  
  
"Are they still in their rooms?" Volta asked Chikori as she entered the living room of George's palace.  
  
Chikori nodded.  
  
"How long has it been now?" Volta asked as she took some lemonade from the tray on the table.  
  
"A day or two," Chibodee said as he entered the room.  
  
It had been two days since the catastrophic events of the fight with the Hell Gundam. Brad and George had both locked themselves in their rooms and hadn't eaten a thing.  
  
"Oh, god, Chib! How long will this last? I can't stand it!" Volta broke down in tears. Chibodee sat down on the couch next to her and wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"Hey, it's okay, Volta. Everything'll be fine," he said gently.  
  
"I just can't stand it!" she said through sobs. "Haaz-Haaz-What am I going to do without my brother?"  
  
Chibodee smiled a little. Even though Volta always pretended that she hated her brother, he knew that she really loved him more than anyone else.  
  
"I'm sure he'll come out of it soon," Chibodee assured Volta.  
  
"Chibodee, half of the people who come out of comas are dead! How could I let my brother knock himself unconscious and go into a coma? Maybe I should just lock myself away in my room like Brad and George did."  
  
"Don't be silly. You're way too pretty to lock yourself in a room where no one could look at you," Chibodee said, trying to cheer Volta up.  
  
She smiled a very small smile and snuggled up closer to the love of her life. They just sat there for a while; there was no need to speak.  
  
Brad and George had locked themselves up in their rooms, Haaz had gone into a coma, and they still didn't have Bunny back. Probably because it had been possessed by the Berserker system, but no one was sure, Eagle Gundam had not been destroyed What else could go wrong? Hundreds of Neo-Frenchman were trying to find the whereabouts of the princess and her kidnapers, but so far to no avail.  
  
The silence was broken as Raymond entered the room. "I think I have some information that you might be interested in."  
  
Chibodee, Volta, and Chikori popped up at the words, ".you might be interested in."  
  
"What is it?" Chibodee asked, still holding Volta.  
  
"We've found Miss Bunny and the kidnappers. They're in Neo-Germany at the moment and have come to a halt. We think it might be their headquarters. Or- " But the three Gundam fighters were already out the door.  
  
"Brad! Stop mopping around this instant!" Volta broke down Brad's door in order to get into the room. "Stop blaming yourself and get that stupid Gundam of yours ready."  
  
Brad looked up and stopped pacing the room.  
  
"We know where Bunny is," Volta finished.  
  
Before she could say another word, Brad was out of the room, heading for his Gundam.  
  
"Please, George. Open the door!" Chibodee had been knocking for two minutes. Slowly, the door opened, revealing a seriously depressed King of Neo-France. "Oh, snap out of it!"  
  
"Why did it have to happen to Bunny? I could have saved her! I could have stopped that thing.!" George rammed his fist into the wall.  
  
"George," Chibodee said, cutting right to the chase, "we think we know where Bunny is."  
  
"Why didn't you say so in the first place?"  
  
"I was busy knocking," Chibodee replied.  
  
"Are you certain you know where she is?"  
  
Chibodee lied and nodded.  
  
"Let's go," George said and headed out the door.  
  
* * *  
  
"Let me go, you little-Ow!" Bunny screamed as Bersek pulled her along behind him and hit her on the cheek at her outburst.  
  
"Almost there," Dr. Klements said.  
  
They continued walking down a hill until a large gray building came into view. "Here we are," Bersek said as he pushed against a large boulder. The boulder rolled slightly out of place and Bunny saw a stairway behind it. She gaped in awe but was jerked back into reality as Bersek pushed her down the stairs. He led her through twisting cooridoors until Bersek finally stopped at one room. He opened a door and pushed Bunny into it. He threw the key up in the air and caught it, as if to show that there was no way out of the room. Then the blonde man closed the door and locked it.  
  
Panic seized Bunny. I have to figure out a way to get out of here! she thought. Her eyes frantically searched the room, looking for some way to get out. Nothing. The door was the only entrance-and exit. Her hands still knotted together by the metallic rope, Bunny rammed her shoulder into the door. There was a slight creaking sound and the door only moved a millimeter. She tried again, but this time the door didn't move at all.  
  
Obviously, this isn't going to work, she thought in frustration and sat down next to the door. Bunny put her head in her hands and started to curse in ten different languages. She had learned something from Volta, though it wasn't very useful. As Bunny stared at the rope that tied her hands together, she realized that part of the rope was fraying. Quickly, Bunny jumped to her feet and started biting ferociously at the rope. It tasted awful, but that wasn't important now. She could use as much mouthwash as she wanted once she was free of this prison. The rope unraveled. "Yes!" Bunny whispered under her breath. She turned to the door. It was only a door. How many times had she broken down doors while training with Domon? Bunny tried to break the door down. The only result was a throbbing pain throughout her leg, which climbed up to her hand.  
  
The crest was glowing again. That Hell Gundam thing must be near, Bunny figured. She tried to door again. Whoa! Bunny thought. This thing is solid stone! How am I supposed to break a thing like that down? Maybe Mirror Gundam. Bunny was about to snap her fingers when she realized that the impact any Gundam would cause when it broke through the ground would crush her immediately. She sighed and let her hand drop to her side. Bunny stared at the door in dismay. She rushed at it head on, determined to get out of the room. The Jack of Diamonds crest glowed brighter and the door shattered into a thousand bits. Bunny looked at it, then at her hand, then at the now- shattered door and at her hand again. She shrugged. The problem of how a crest could brake down a door could be solved later.  
  
Bunny started running down one of the halls. If you follow the right side of a wall, you'll eventually get out of a maze, Bunny thought to herself. Or was it the left side? Oh, god! She continued running, not caring where she went.  
  
* * *  
  
Brad stared at his surroundings in dismay. There was a large gray building near by, a few boulders, but nothing more.  
  
"Yeah, right. Thanks Raymond," Chibodee said to the sky. "It was really considerate of you to give us the coordinates for THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE!"  
  
"Calm down, Chib. I'm sure he told us to come here for a reason," Volta said and patted Chibodee's shoulder.  
  
Chibodee grunted in response.  
  
"I thought you said you knew for certain where Bunny was," George said suspiciously.  
  
"He, he," was Chibodee's only reply.  
  
Volta moved in front of Chibodee protectively as George stared at him, deciding if he should ram the Neo-American fighter to bits now, or wait until later.  
  
"You wouldn't want to kill me in front of ladies, now would you?" Chibodee asked nervously.  
  
"This could get ugly," Sai observed and leaned against a nearby boulder. He quickly got up again as the boulder started to move away. "Whoa," Sai Sici whispered.  
  
"You're a genius, Sai!" Volta congratulated the baffled Neo-Chinese fighter after a moment of silence.  
  
"I am? Oh, of course I am! Remind me, why am I a genius again?" Sai asked.  
  
Volta gave him a look that meant "I swear, Haaz is your long-lost brother or something".  
  
"Let's just go, already," Domon intervened.  
  
"Where are we going, bro?" Sai asked.  
  
Now everyone gave him the same annoyed look. "Down there!" the others said and pointed down the stairway that had emerged.  
  
"But-but there could be ghosts down there! Or-or-goblins or ghouls or Dark Gundams or-" Sai was unable to finish his sentence as Domon pushed him down the stairs.  
  
"Just move!" Domon responded.  
  
"But-but-" Sai Sici stammered.  
  
"You want to stay out here and guard the place? You'd be alone, though, as it would probably be easier for the ghosts to get you. You know, strength in numbers. But hey, it's your life." Domon shrugged.  
  
"Now that I think about it, I'll stay with you, Bro," Sai recovered hurriedly.  
  
"Good. Then let's go." Brad started down the stairs. I have to get Bunny back. I just have to! She-she means the world to me, Brad thought as everyone silently followed him through the underground labyrinth.  
  
* * *  
  
Bunny stumbled forward, hungrier, thirstier, and more lost than every before. She felt like she had been searching for the entrance for days, but as she checked her watch, she saw that it had only been three hours. It finally registered in her brain that there were not guards. Just Bersek and Dr. Klements. At first, Bunny had thought it would be easy to escape. But there were many more twists and turns than she had thought possible.  
  
She started cursing under her breath in Latin. Although a dead language, Bunny thought that some words sounded better in Latin than any other language. Besides, no one ever knows what I'm saying, Bunny figured as she stopped for breath.  
  
The crest started glowing. Bunny clutched her hand to her breast. "I want to go away from the Hell Gundam, not towards it," she said out loud and started in the other direction.  
  
Bunny thought she saw a glimmer of light. She started to run towards it, but it suddenly disappeared. This time Bunny cursed in Indian. Latin and French were too classy to be used the way she was talking. She walked around a bend and saw the shattered door that she had broken through. "Ugh!" Bunny said in frustration. I'm back where I started!!!  
  
* * *  
  
"Tie the rope around this rock," Argo instructed.  
  
"Are you sure?" Sai asked.  
  
Argo just looked at him. "Okay, okay. But I don't see how this will help us. I'm sure the rock will find this ball of string great company," Sai said sarcastically.  
  
"You idiot!" Volta hit Sai over the head. "We tie the end of the string around the rock and then bring the ball with us as we go, so that we can find our way back. Right, Mr. Guilsky?"  
  
The Neo-Russian fighter nodded his head.  
  
"I thought girls were supposed to be the submissive gender," Sai Sici muttered under his breath as he finished tying the rope and stood up, rubbing his head.  
  
"You want to run that by me again, Mr. Sici?" Volta asked, striking an interrogating pose.  
  
"Um no, not really," Sai said nervously. How can a girl hit me and then call me 'Mr.'? Sai Sici thought. Oh well.  
  
"Let's go," Brad said impatiently.  
  
Everyone filed around a corner. Volt suddenly rushed back to the rock. "Mr. Sici, I swear, next to Haaz you are the stupidest being on this planet! Didn't I explain that we take the ball or string with us?! Some people are just so." Volta lapsed into her native tongue. "Sorry, gentlemen," she explained when she was done. "I don't think even Mr. Kasshu and Chibodee combined could match what I just said."  
  
* * *  
  
Although they had started out in good humor, Domon and the others were now completely pessimistic. They still had the dwindling ball of string with them. But there had been no sign of life-intelligent or otherwise (besides Sai Sici of course, who had drifted away from the group a number of times).  
  
"It's hopeless. How are we supposed to find Bunny in this underground maze?" Rain complained.  
  
"I'm getting too old for this," Chikori commented.  
  
"You're thirteen. How can you be too old for this?" Volta asked, stepping in line beside Chikori.  
  
"I know I'm thirteen. I'm too old for this," he repeated.  
  
"Okay. Whatever you say," Volta said skeptically.  
  
"You think you're too old for this? Chik, I'm like three times your age plus two!" Chibodee complained.  
  
"That make it even more depressing that you fell for a twenty-year-old!" Chikori said innocently.  
  
"Volt, should we kill him now, or later?" Chibodee asked casually.  
  
"Later," Volta replied.  
  
"Will you three stop acting like circus clowns?" Brad asked, annoyed. "We have a serious job on our hands. Pardon the expression, Mr. Crockett," Brad apologized as he saw Chibodee's face.  
  
They continued walking in silence. "Isn't it strange that there aren't any guards or anything?" Sai Sici asked.  
  
Brad nodded. "Maybe they didn't want anyone else to know about it," he suggested.  
  
"You father must-"  
  
"Don't you ever call that man my father, Mr. Sici!" Brad cut into Sai's statement.  
  
Domon remembered himself saying something similar about Kyoji, his brother. He was brought back to the present when Rain hushed him. "Shhh, Domon! There's someone in the shadows there," she whispered and pulled Domon behind a corner, where everyone else was hiding.  
  
The figure emerged from the shadows. The person was being supported by the walls, who was obviously very weak. Domon could see that it was a girl now. Blond-red hair, violet eyes.She stood panting against the wall for a moment, her eyes staring in disbelief as everyone came into plain view.  
  
"Bunny!" George yelled. Bunny stood there for a moment then ran right past her father into Brad's arms. George looked stunned. Brad twirled Bunny around, looking into her deep violet eyes. Then he set her down on the ground gently and bent forward. It started as a light caress, but soon grew into more. Bunny pressed herself close to Brad, enjoying his body-warmth as they kissed. Finally they broke, more for need of air than anything else.  
  
"Um, wow," Sai Sici observed, astonished. Everyone could hear their own voices echoed in Sai Sici's.  
  
Volta turned to Chibodee, accusingly shaking her finger.  
  
"How come you were never so romantic with me?" she asked. Everyone laughed, except Bunny, who just stared at Volta and Chibodee. She snuggled closer to Brad.  
  
"Brad, I love you," she whispered in his ear.  
  
It didn't matter what happened now. He had Bunny back. "Oui, mademoiselle," Brad responded in Bunny's native French. "I love you too."  
  
If you think this is the end, you better be kidding. Hello! Bersek and Dr. Klements are still up to something, in case you had a temporary brain freeze or something like that. A lot of people get lost. Anyway, yah. Oh, by the way, "Oui" means "Yes" ( I think, hehe). ~* ShadowTide *~ 


	14. A Whole Lot'a Screams and a Couple More ...

Chapter XIV: A Whole Lot'a Screams and a Couple More Twists  
  
Brad walked down the hall of George's palace, going nowhere in particular. He stopped in front of Chibodee's room and listened in amusement to Chibodee and Volta fight.  
  
"You are such a slob, Chib! No wonder George has so many maids. They all spend their time cleaning up this pigsty!" Volta said as she rushed around the room, picking up assorted articles of clothing.  
  
"I'm a guy. Guys are allowed to do this kinda stuff," Chibodee said and leaned back against the wall. "That's why women were created. To clean up after us guys. Hey! Why'dya throw that at me? What did I do? I was just saying-"  
  
"You take that back this instant, Chibodee Crockett or I'll throw you out of this room!" Volta threatened.  
  
"Wha'? What did I say? HEEEEELLLLLPPPPP!" Chibodee screamed as Volta opened the door and threw him out of the room.  
  
Chibodee got up from the floor as if nothing had happened and saw Brad looking at him in amusement. "What did I say?" he asked.  
  
"Isn't it your room?" Brad pointed out. Bunny had told him to be more sociable. He'd try with all his heart.  
  
"Good point. Gotta show her who's boss. Thanks," Chibodee said and stepped back into his room. "Volt, it's my room. You get out!"  
  
A moment later, Chibodee came flying out of the room again. "AAAAAHHHHH! Okay. Guess that didn't work. Guess Volta is the boss. Why me?" He rolled his eyes. "Why did I have to fall for that little hot-headed." Chibodee described Volta colorfully. Very colorfully.  
  
Brad cleared his throat to make his presence known. "Oh, sorry, Brad." Chibodee paused. "Wait! Why are you communicating with the outside world? What happened? Why did you actually speak to me out of your own free will?" Chibodee eyed Brad suspiciously.  
  
"Fine. I'll go away. I'll go talk to someone who actually knows how to carry out a conversation that consists of more than 'What did I do?' and 'Huh?' "  
  
"Huh?" Chibodee stared at Brad as he walked away. "Hey! What did I do?" he asked himself aloud.  
  
Brad chuckled to himself and walked away.  
  
* * *  
  
"You WHAT?!?!?" Bersek screamed at Dr. Klements.  
  
"I need to infect-wrong word-give you the power of DG cells-well, HG cells. They make you more powerful than in your wildest dreams! I swear!" Dr. Klements replied calmly.  
  
"Remind me why you need to do this again," Bersek ordered.  
  
"Because. This way you'll be more powerful and able to defeat the Shuffle Alliance easily. That's what you want, right?"  
  
"I don't need those HG cells. I can beat Domon Kasshu by myself. Without the help of anything except my Hell Gundam," Bersek said hotly.  
  
Dr. Klements filled the injection tube with HG (Hell Gundam) cells. He sneaked up quietly behind Bersek, but Bersek sensed him anyway. The Neo- German fighter whirled around and sent the injection tube of HG cells flying through the air.  
  
"Oh, so you were trying to trick me, where you?" Bersek asked, backing up Dr. Klements against a wall. "Well, it's not going to work, old man. I'm going to kill you now so that you won't be able to betray me again. Ever!" Bersek was ready to smash Brad's father to pieces.  
  
"You fool! Did you honestly believe that I would listen to you? I'm in control of the Hell Gundam. I created the Hell Gundam! I am the Hell Gundam. You were never part of my plan. Just a pawn. Another something I had to move in order to get where I wanted to be."  
  
"I wouldn't be speaking if I were you, Dr. Klements. Telling me your whole plan," Bersek warned.  
  
"Oh, but I have to power here, Bersek." Dr. Klements quickly stabbed Bersek in the arm with another tube of HG cells. "See, and now you'll come totally under my control."  
  
Bersek just laughed-a harsh, cold laugh. Dr. Klements took this advantage to run from Bersek, out of the underground building. Away from the entire area. And the whole time Bersek just kept on laughing. He thought he could infect me with HG cells! I'm not as stupid as I may seem.  
  
Bersek looked at his right hand. There was a crest glowing there. A Shuffle Alliance crest. The King of Diamonds.  
  
* * *  
  
Domon and the others were on the move again. They had gone from country to country and had beaten every one. Now the only contestants left in the eighteenth Gundam tournament were themselves.  
  
"I don't wanna have to battle you guys," Chikori complained. "It's so not fair!" he said as he jumped up and down on his bed in the hotel room. No one answered his complaint.  
  
"I wonder if Haaz is all right," Volta said as she leaned against Chibodee on the other side of the room.  
  
"Of course he is. He's probably having dreams about his little Shining Gundam model or something," Chibodee assured her.  
  
"Remember the night before Bunny's first Gundam fight?" Volta asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Duh! I was bombarded with pillows. A person doesn't forget those drastic events in a person's life that easily."  
  
"Huh? All we did was throw pillows at you. That's not a major achievement or anything. Oh, now I get it. It was like a world record or something. Not only can Chibodee Crocket beat the hell out of almost any Gundam fighter, but he can also dodge more pillows than any other human being at a record speed. Who cares if Chibodee is one of the top fighters ever? It's much more important that he can block pillows. And there you have it, ladies and gentleman. Chibodee Crockett is much prouder of his dodging pillow techniques than anything else," Volta said sarcastically. She turned to see Sai Sici, Bunny, Chikori, and Chibodee rolling on the floor laughing.  
  
"No-Volt," Chibodee said through fits of laughter. Once the laugher had subsided, Chibodee sat up again and whispered in Volta's ear, "It was the night I realized that I, well-that I loved you." Chibodee paused. For a moment, he looked frightened of what he had just said. "Oh, yeah. And, most importantly, I learned that doors are the best defense against pillows," he added hurriedly.  
  
Volta hit Chibodee on the head. She started describing him in some very colorful words. ". '.I loved you. Oh, yeah. And, MOST IMPORTANTLY I LEARNED THAT DOORS ARE THE BEST DEFENCE AGAINST PILLOWS'!!! Chibodee Crockett, sometimes you disgust me."  
  
"Volta, dear, there are some underage children around us. Are you sure you don't want to switch to Indian or something?" Chibodee suggested.  
  
"You know Italian, right?"  
  
Chibodee nodded.  
  
"Good. I'll switch to it once I really get warmed-up," Volta said dryly.  
  
"You mean you've just started?" Chibodee asked in awe.  
  
"I told you I was better than you and Domon combined. Anyway." Volta continued insulting Chibodee and eventually lapsed into Italian. But Bunny knew Italian too.  
  
* * *  
  
Back in the hospital in Paris, Haaz was no longer in a coma. He was still terribly weak and feverish, and had been sleeping for the past five days. But Haaz wasn't dreaming about Shining Gundams. In fact, he was having a very different type of dream.  
  
  
  
  
  
The blonde man who had kidnapped Bunny-what was his name? Bersek?-was running. His hand was glowing. The King of Diamonds. His arm was a purplish color, with a sort of metallic hue. "I thought that HG cells couldn't affect a Shuffle Alliance member," he said to himself out loud. "I'm going to turn into a slave to the Hell Gundam. But it's the Gundam. It should be a slave to me!" he continued voicing his thoughts aloud.  
  
  
  
  
  
"And what ever happened to that Bunny girl? She must have escaped, hmm? Oh well, considering the fact that I'm going to them now, it really doesn't matter.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Dr. Klements, he's up to something. Why did he infect me with HG cells? He probably thought that I was stupid. Ha! I'm the King of Diamonds! The only Gundam fighter better than me is Domon Kasshu. And he was an idiot to pass his crest on to that Klements kid. If Domon's that stupid, I should be able to beat him easily."  
  
  
  
  
  
Bersek came to a large hotel building. He smirked as his crest glowed brightly. Bersek pushed open the door and walked up to the clerk. "Is a Domon Kasshu staying here?" he asked.  
  
  
  
  
  
The clerk nodded.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Call him and tell him that.that a friend is here to visit," Bersek said.  
  
  
  
  
  
The clerk hastily picked up the phone and dialed three numbers. "Hello? Is this room 1318? Good. I'd like to inform you that a friend is coming up to your room to visit you.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What? No, he didn't say what his name was. Just a friend. Okay, I'll do that Ms. Lao," The clerk hung up the phone. "They said that you can't go up until-Hey? Where'd he go?" the clerk asked himself. Bersek had already started up the stairs.  
  
  
  
  
  
Room 1318.Bersek read the signs of each door he passed. 1310, 1312, 1314, 1316, 1318. There is was! Bersek breathed in nerviously. "What if they won't accept me? What if they throw me out? What if they don't cure me? What if I'm taken over by the HG cells? What if-" Bersek shook his head. Slowly, he knocked on the door.  
  
Bersek heard someone curse. "I thought I told they guy that no one can come up here." Bersek heard someone moving across the floor. "Don't you move, Chibodee Crockett! I'm not done with you yet," the voice reprimanded. Slowly, the door opened. Volta just stood there, staring at the unexpected guest. Bersek stared back at her. "Oh my god." Volta eventually murmured.  
  
Haaz sat bolt upright in bed. Bersek had.Haaz shook his head. It was just a bad dream, he thought to himself reassuringly. Volta's fine. It was just a dream. Haaz slipped back down under the covers of his hospital bed and soon fell asleep again. It was just a dream.But it wasn't. It had really happened. 


	15. Two More Twists and a Turn

Chapter XV: Two Twists and a Turn  
  
"Oh my god," Volta murmured again. She continued staring at Bersek.  
  
"Hey, what is it, Volt?" Chibodee asked from behind her.  
  
Volta didn't reply. Bersek's eyes were full of hate. Volta couldn't tell, but she had a strange feeling that Bersek hated himself. Suddenly he fell to the floor, clutching his bare arm in pain. Volta looked at it. It was purple, sort of metallic. Then she saw Bersek's hand. "What the.?"  
  
"Helloo?" Chibodee came up behind Volta. "What is going on here? Earth to Volta. Earth to Volta. Come in.BERSEK?" Chibodee stared in surprise at the form of the evil Neo-German fighter curled up on the floor.  
  
Everyone except Sai Sici (who was completely absorbed in the video game he was playing) rushed over to the door to stare at Bersek.  
  
"Let's help him," Rain suggested at last as she saw the purple spreading throughout Bersek's skin.  
  
"No! He's the enemy," Domon said harshly.  
  
"He helped kidnap Bunny!" Brad exclaimed.  
  
"Please-help-me," Bersek said weakly.  
  
Rain made a move to help the young man, but Domon held her back. "Domon, he needs help!"  
  
"I don't care," Domon replied coldly.  
  
George nodded his head in agreement. "Please, you guys," Bunny broke in. "If I'm not holding anything against him, then you definitely don't have to right to, either. I'm pretty sure that if he has a crest, he can't be all evil." Slowly, Domon, George, Brad, Chikori, Argo, and Chibodee moved away from the door.  
  
Rain knelt down next to Bersek. "Get me my medicine case," she ordered Domon. He just stood there.  
  
"Hello? Didn't you hear her? Go get the stupid thing already!" Volta waved her hand in front of Domon's face. He shook his head and reluctantly started moving towards the adjoining room. "Ugh! Why are guys so slow?" Volta complained and ran into the other room. Two seconds later she emerged carrying the medicine box. "You're so useful, Mr. Kasshu," she remarked in passing.  
  
"Here, Mrs. Kasshu," Volta knelt down next to Bunny and Rain and handed Rain the box. Rain opened it and searched through her assorted medicines.  
  
"Oh, I know I have it in here somewhere," Rain said as she frantically searched some more.  
  
Bunny chanced a look at Bersek. The purplish color was in his cheeks no, rising to his forehead. Bersek tried to speak, but no words came out.  
  
"Found it!" Rain exclaimed and took a vile of silver medicine and poured it into an injection tube. "Let's hope the cure for regular DG cells works on these things-whatever they are-too," she prayed and quickly injected the needle into Bersek's arm.  
  
Rain, Bunny, and Volta just knelt there, staring at the suffering Bersek. Slowly, they saw the purple recede from his face. After a while, Bersek sighed in relief. "Thank you," he muttered.  
  
Brad came forward again. "I think you have some explaining to do," he suggested to Bersek.  
  
Bersek got up and smiled slightly. "Let me come in and I'll tell you everything you ever wanted to know."  
  
Brad slowly made way for the King of Diamonds. Bersek looked around smugly and sat down at a table. "I guess you're wondering about this?" he asked and held up his crest.  
  
"Among other things," Brad replied and put his arms protectively around Bunny.  
  
Chibodee was about to do the same to Volta, but she pushed him aside saying, "Just get me that door over there, will you? If it works so well against pillows, it'll probably also does an even better job against little- evil-Shuffle-Alliance-members-who-kidnapped-Bunny, doncha think?" Chibodee looked hurt, but stayed near-by, eager to hear Bersek's story.  
  
"How'd you get it?" Domon asked coldly.  
  
Bersek shrugged. "It just appeared on my hand one day when I was training with the Hell Gundam."  
  
"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Argo asked quietly.  
  
"You don't," Bersek replied, his eyes as cold as his voice. "You'll just have to trust me."  
  
Argo grunted.  
  
"He's the King of Diamonds, Argo. No Shuffle Alliance member is one-hundred percent evil," Natasha defended Bersek.  
  
"Thank you, Mrs. Guilsky," Bersek said politely. "Anyway, I've left Dr. Klements. He infected me with those Hell Gundam cells. I thought Shuffle Alliance members couldn't be infected with DG cells, but-"  
  
"They aren't DG cells," Brad put in. "Isn't the Hell Gundam an advanced form of the Dark Gundam? Meaning that the same ruled don't apply."  
  
Bersek nodded in agreement. "I left and came here. You people travel around way too much, you know that?" Bersek tried to lighten the mood.  
  
"Great, you're healed. Now you can go home again, or whatever," Domon said.  
  
"Huh? You guys can't throw me out! I'm part of the Shuffle Alliance. You're the only one better than me, Mr. Kasshu!" Bersek said.  
  
Brad cleared his throat, to make sure that Bersek realized that he was now the King of Hearts. Bersek ignored him.  
  
"Leave," Domon said and pointed to the door.  
  
"No," Bersek said, his eyes colder than ever.  
  
"You can't make him go, not if he's a Shuffle Alliance member," Rain said. "If he's a Shuffle Alliance member, he has every right to stay. We'll just give him a separate room, take away the key, and lock the door."  
  
"You're people are just full of hospitality," Bersek commented dryly.  
  
"Take it or leave it," Domon said.  
  
Bersek sighed. "Fine, I'll take the room. I have no where else to go, anyway."  
  
"Good," Volta said as Bersek stood up. "Bersek, I'd like you to meet your new room: the closet." Volta pushed Bersek into the spacious closet and threw in a pillow and a blanket. She slammed the door shut and locked it.  
  
Bersek just stood there in the dark, dumbfounded. He eventually came to his senses and shrugged. It was better than being stranded outside in the pouring rain.  
  
* * *  
  
Dr. Klements chuckled to himself. So Bersek thought he could kill me. Ha! Doesn't he know by now that I'm immortal? And besides, who needs that dumb- blonde anyway. I have the ultimate thing. I'm unbeatable with this! Dr. Klements thought.  
  
He was in a secret laboratory. There were tubes all around the place, scattered everywhere. It had been hard work, getting the body of Kyoji, but he had done it. It was even harder reviving Kyoji from the near-dead state he was in, but Dr. Klements had done that too. It was almost impossible to make Kyoji as powerful as he had been before. But all of that was done. And now came the easy part: waking the brain-washed Kyoji up.  
  
Dr. Klements walked over to one end of the room. There was a large cylinder there, filled with purple ooze. And in the middle was Kyoji, revived and fresh. Brad's father reached for a purple button. Before he could have second thoughts, Dr. Klements slammed his fist down on the button. All the purplish goo from inside the clear cylinder sank out of it. And there stood Kyoji, inside the cylinder, ready to be re-born. Dr. Klements breathed in deeply. There was no stopping now. It was too late. He raised his hand high in the air and screamed, "Kyoji! Rise!" and smashed his hands on another button.  
  
There was a rumble and a shake. Then Kyoji's eyes opened wide. Dr. Klements laughed louder than ever. Now, with Domon's big brother, he was ready to take over the world and the colonies in outer space.  
  
* * *  
  
Bunny, Volta, Rain, and Natasha walked down the main street of Berlin. It was the next morning, and the girls had decided to do a little shopping, leaving the men in the hotel.  
  
"Mrs. Guilsky, I really think you need a new outfit." Volta eyes Natasha's green uniform.  
  
"I'm perfectly fine, thank you," Natasha replied.  
  
Volta shrugged. "Okay. If you want to walk around looking like an asparagus from the nineteenth century, by all means, don't let my good fashion sense stop you."  
  
Natasha decided to ignore that comment.  
  
They walked on for a while, looking in the shop windows. "Is it just me, or is that man stalking us?" Bunny asked under her breath to Volta.  
  
Volta glanced over her shoulder. "I think you're right. C'mon! Let's go," Volta said and started to run, pulling the others behind her.  
  
The man started to run, too. He chased the four women throughout all of downtown Berlin, until finally Volta and the others were cornered against an alley wall.  
  
"Oh, boy. Not good," Volta said.  
  
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it," Natasha assured her.  
  
Volta looked skeptically at the Neo-Russian women, but remained quiet.  
  
"What do you want?" Natasha asked in a harsh voice as the man came panting up behind them.  
  
After he had caught his breath, he answered. "A Gudam fight."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Wha'?"  
  
"A Gundam fight?"  
  
"You what?"  
  
"A Gundam fight," the man repeated. He was wearing a cape that hid his face in shadows.  
  
"What country are you representing?" Volta asked suspiciously.  
  
"Neo-Germany," the man replied.  
  
"But-but Bersek is representing Neo-Germany," Bunny said, confused.  
  
"No he isn't. Where did you hear something like that?" the man asked, as if the thought was absurd.  
  
"From Bersek himself," Volta said.  
  
The man shrugged. "He must have lied, then. So, will you battle me?" he challenged.  
  
"Um, okay," Volta replied hesitantly.  
  
"I guess so," Bunny said.  
  
"Meet me here.hmm.tomorrow at eight in the morning, okay?" the man asked. He didn't wait for a reply. "Good. See you them, ladies." He tilted his hat and walked away.  
  
Rain shook her head. "Exactly what just happened here?"  
  
"Well, I think Bunny and I just agreed to battle some mysterious Gundam fighter who says he's representing Neo-Germany," Volta summed it up.  
  
"Remind me why you agreed?"  
  
"BECAUSE NO ONE EVER DECLINES A GUNDAM FIGHT!" Volta shouted, a bit too loud. She calmed down a bit.  
  
"I want to go to the library to check out if Bersek really is fighting for Neo-Germany," Rain said. "Let's go."  
  
"Why are we listening to you?" Volta asked as they started walking.  
  
"Because I'm the smartest," Rain replied smugly.  
  
"What did you say? You're the smartest? Well, I prefer to think of you as." Volta started speaking in Indain again. She didn't think Domon would enjoy hearing that his wife had been described so colorfully.  
  
Bunny stared at Volta as she continued insulting Rain. "Volta," she advised, "we're entering a library. I think you should stop now."  
  
"Oh," Volta said, a bit embarrassed. She hadn't even noticed where she was going anymore.  
  
"Volta and Bunny, why don't you go look through the newpaper articles about where Bersek was born," Rain advised.  
  
"Why do we have to-" Volta started to protest.  
  
"Let's just do it, Volta," Bunny said and pulled Volta to the library section where they newspapers where stacked.  
  
"Okay, we want what?-about twenty years ago?" Volta asked as she searched through the stacks of newspapers.  
  
"Yah, I think so," Bunny agreed as she scanned a couple newspapers. "Out of wonder, since when did newspapers report every time a baby was born?"  
  
"Hello! Bersek is only the son of the former ruler of Neo-Germany. Of course it's gonna be in the newspaper."  
  
"But if he's the son of whoever, then why do we need to find out if he's from Neo-Germany? We know he is."  
  
"Because his father became ruler after Bersek was born!"  
  
"But if Bersek isn't allowed to participate if he's not born in Neo- Germany, then why can Chikori?" Bunny asked, puzzled.  
  
Volta eyed her menacingly.  
  
"Sorry, I was busy learning Latin and how to cut steak without grating the knife on the plate, okay?" Bunny said defensively.  
  
"Just keep on looking," Volta said.  
  
They continued searching for a while in silence. Volta sighed. There were only a couple more stacks to look through. She started digging into one pile. A newspaper fell down at her feet. She sighed again, frustrated (the scent of old newspaper did not appeal to her), and bent to pick it up. The headline or a short article caught her attention. "Fiancee of Chibodee Crockett Killed in Car Crash!" it read. Volta picked it up, interested, and started reading. "Chibodee Crockett's fiancee died today as she was on her way to the church to get married. It was a hit-and-run accident, and the driver was never found.Mr. Crockett is heartbroken. "I'll never love anyone ever again," he had vowed. "Bunny was special. There's no one else who can ever take her place. Never." The funeral." Volta let the paper fall from her hand. "Oh," she said in surprise.  
  
"Did you find it?" Bunny jumped up from her seat and came over to Volta's side. "I swear, these newspapers are moldy. I-Volta, are you okay?" Bunny asked as she saw the pained look on Volta's face.  
  
Volta wiped away a tear that had started trickling down her cheek. "Yah, I'm fine," she said in a broken voice.  
  
"Volta, as talented as you may be at cursing, you are not a very good liar. What's wrong?"  
  
The fighter from Neo-Nepal pointed at he article on the floor. "Oh," Bunny said as she read it. "I see. Don't worry, Volta. He probably didn't mean any of it," Bunny patted Volta on the back reassuringly.  
  
Volta nodded her head. Of course Bunny's right! Chib always says stuff that he doesn't mean on the spur of the moment. But-but if it is true, then exactly what am I to him? Volta shook her head to rid herself of that thought. He didn't mean it.  
  
"You all right?" Bunny asked again.  
  
"Fine," Volta replied and started looking throughh the remaining newspaper articles. "Bingo!" she shouted, in a tone a bit too loud for a library. "Oops. Bingo!" she said quietly.  
  
"You found it?" Bunny rushed over.  
  
"Yep! And it says that Bersek wasn't born in Neo-Germany, but later became a citizen. So that means that he could still be a fighter."  
  
"Then which one is really the fighter for Neo-Germany?" Bunny asked.  
  
Volta arched an eyebrow and looked at her. "You've been spending too much time with Sai. He's brain power is starting to have an effect on yours."  
  
"Then which one is really the fighter for Neo-Germany?" Bunny repeated her question word for word.  
  
"There's only one way to find out. Meet that guy, duh," Volta said.  
  
* * *  
  
Seven o'clock the next morning, Bunny woke up. She yawned and looking lovingly and the sleeping form of Brad beside her. Although George had forbid it, Bunny sneaked over to Brad's room every night. (Brad and Bunny had argued that it would be cheaper if they slept in the same room, but George was the king of Neo-France. Since when did he have to worry about money?)  
  
Bunny quietly got out of bed, so not to wake Brad. She pushed a strand of blonde hair back from Brad's forehead and slipped out of the room.  
  
"D***it, Chib! Why do you have to hold me so tight?" Volta cursed under her breath in the room next door. She tried to get out of the sleeping Chibodee's death-grip. No wonder he hold's me so tight. He probably thinks that I'll die if he lets me go, Volta thought to herself. Volta sighed. In a second, she had worked her way out of Chibodee's hold and had stuffed a pillow there instead.  
  
She pulled an outfit out of the closet (where Bersek was still sleeping, mind you) and quickly dressed then left the room before Chibodee could wake up and realize that he was holding onto a pillow for dear life.  
  
The four women met outside in the main lobby. "Ready?" Rain asked.  
  
Bunny rubbed her eyes and nodded, as did Volta. "Why are you guys coming along?" Volta asked.  
  
"Think of us as your personal cheering squad," Rain replied. They had no clue, but Bunny, Volta, Rain, and Natasha were walking right into a trap. A trap planned to help Dr. Klements rule the world. 


	16. The Chapter that Should Not Be: Guys on ...

Chapter XVI: The Chapter That Should Not Be: Guys on Rampage  
  
"Volt?" Chibodee asked, still half-asleep. He sat up in bed and looked at the pillow he had been hugging with all his might. "Why, that little-no- good." Chibodee continued describing Volta colorfully. He finished and slipped back asleep. Volta would be around.  
  
"Rain?" Domon asked two hours later as he searched the room for his missing wife. "Rain?" he started to panic. Where was she? He hadn't seen her all day!  
  
Domon stuck his head out of his room at the exact same time that Brad, Chibodee, Argo, and George stuck their heads out of their rooms.  
  
"Has anyone seen Rain?" Domon asked.  
  
"Has anyone seen Volta?" Chibodee questioned.  
  
"Has anyone seen Natasha?" Argo said.  
  
"Has anyone see Bunny?" Brad and George asked together.  
  
They all asked the questions at the same time, so it sounded somewhat jumbled.  
  
Everyone replied "No" together, in answer to each other's questions.  
  
After a moment, everyone realized what was happening. George turned to Brad, looking at the young Neo-American suspiciously. "How did you know that Bunny was missing?" he asked.  
  
"Huh? Oh, I-I-well." Brad started to blush.  
  
"Brad! What were you doing with my daughter?" George's voice was dangerously calm.  
  
"Well, I, um.BunnyandIweresortofsleepingtogether," he said fast, but the others still understood him.  
  
"You WHAT?" George asked, exploding.  
  
"Could we resolve this little problem later?" Chibodee butt in. "I'd really like to find Volt, here. He'll always be here to be killed afterwards, George."  
  
The others agreed with Chibodee and quickly dressed. They started frantically searching throughout Berlin. After all, where could the girls have gone?  
  
* * *  
  
"Good job, Kyoji, good job. Women are always the best life source for Gundams. And with five of them, the Hell Gundam will be unstoppable! You're acquainted with the Four Kings of Darkness? Good. Well, these lovely ladies here will soon be known as the Five Queens of Darkness."  
  
* * *  
  
Domon, Brad, George, Chibodee, Argo, Sai Sici, and Haaz had all gathered in the living room that connected their adjoining rooms.  
  
"I couldn't find her anywhere!"  
  
"It's like she disappeared."  
  
"Where could they be? I want my breakfast."  
  
"Shut it, Sai! We have important matters on our hands, here!"  
  
"You searched all of Berlin?"  
  
"Duh. I want my breakfast too, ya know."  
  
"If we couldn't find them, they must be planning something, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess-"  
  
Then the note arrived.  
  
* * *  
  
Haaz looked at his map as he drove down a highway towards Berlin, Neo- Germany. He had been released from the hospital in Paris a week ago, and had learned the location of his sister and the others. He wanted to surprise them by just showing up suddenly. But he was in for as big of a surprise as the others.  
  
* * *  
  
"BERSEK!" Domon, Brad, Chibodee, and George screamed together once they had read the note.  
  
"What'd you do with Bunny?" George asked angrily as Domon opened the closet door.  
  
"What are you talking-Ow!" Bersek couldn't finish his sentence before Domon punched him. "But I didn't do-" Bersek was interrupted by another punch. "I was here the whole time!" the young man defended himself.  
  
"Yeah, right. Now tell us where you took Rain and the others," Domon interrogated.  
  
"Why would I kidnap Rain? She cured me. If I was going to kidnap anybody, it would be you," Bersek replied stubbornly.  
  
"I'll ask you one more time: WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY WIFE!?!?" Domon screamed.  
  
"I swear, nothing." Bersek hid behind some of the clothing in the closet.  
  
"Well then explain the note, will ya?" Chibodee demanded.  
  
"Sure, but I highly recommend you show it do me first!" Bersek replied.  
  
Domon took out a neatly folded piece of paper and thrust it at Bersek. The Neo-German scanned the paper quickly. "It's from Dr. Klements," he explained. "He kidnapped-"  
  
"Can't he think of something a bit more original?" Brad sighed.  
  
Bersek continued. "He kidnapped Bunny, Volta, Rain, Natasha, and Marie- Louise. Probably infected them with HG cells or something and is now going to use them as life sources for the Hell Gundam."  
  
"But you weren't a life source for the Hell Gundam. Why does it need a life source now?" George asked, calmer.  
  
"In order for the Hell Gundam to reach its ultimate stage of power, it needs five life sources. Preferably women. Something about woman giving birth. It's more powerful that way. I was allowed to pilot it because I had willingly joined with Dr. Klements." Bersek shrugged.  
  
"Who's 'The Man behind the Mask'?" Chikori popped into the conversation.  
  
Bersek shrugged again. "Probably.Scharwz or Kyoji, I guess."  
  
Domon started at Bersek for a moment, then slammed the closet door shut, locked it, and hit a table so hard it broke in two.  
  
* * *  
  
"Okay, let me get this straight. George has locked himself up in his room. Brad, Domon, and Argo are destroying everything in sight, like the broken TV in front of us. And Chibodee also locked himself up in his room," Sai Sici stated what each of the other males had done.  
  
"Yep," Chikori said. "And now we're stuck here, the TV the only thing protecting us from the wrath of who-not. Thank god I don't have a girlfriend."  
  
"Can I see the note?" Sai asked.  
  
"Sure," Chikori replied and pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his shirt pocket. "Here ya go."  
  
Sai Sici read the note. "We have Natahsa, Rain, Bunny, and Volta. There's no doubt that they will not prove as the best lifesources for the Hell Gundam. Catch me if you can! Signed, the Man behind the Mask. P.S. George, I highly recommend you go back to Neo-France immediately. The country will go into complete turmoil without a ruler." He handed it back silently.  
  
"I guess they have a good reason to be acting the way they are, but still.WATCH OUT! ARGO COMING THIS WAY!" Chikori screamed and ran away from the TV set, which Argo was thoroughly destroying.  
  
"Hey, how am I supposed to play my video games in you brake the TV!" Sai Sici shouted in disappointment. "Never mind," he apologize quickly when he saw the look on Argo's face. "I can like without video games."  
  
"You guys, wouldn't it just be smarter to go out and get them back?" Chikori suggested as he popped his head out from under the sofa.  
  
All the others stopped. They considered the idea for a moment, then shook their heads. "Naw," Brad, Domon, and Argo said together and continued destroying everything in sight.  
  
"Why do I have the feeling that this hotel bill will be really, really, really long?" Chikori asked the ceiling. "Maybe I'll have better luck with Chibodee or George." He made a run for the door to George's room, barely dodging a flying coffeepot.  
  
He slammed the door shut behind him and stared at George. His hair was a mess and his clothing all wrinkled. "Okay. Then again, it might be better outside," Chikori muttered and opened the door again. A pillow flew right by him and exploded as it hit the wall. "Never mind." The Neo-Dane fighter shut the door quickly.  
  
"Um, George? Doncha want to go back to Neo-France anything soon?" Chikori asked the depressed King of Neo-France.  
  
George shook his head. "What's the point? If I'm not here, there's an even smaller chance of us winning against the Hell Gundam."  
  
"Well, from the looks of what's going on in the living room, we are not about to start searching for anybody."  
  
"Please, Chikori, just leave me alone," George asked softly.  
  
"Okay," Chikori said and left the room. He jumped down as Argo hit the wall with the pathetic remains of the television set.  
  
Please, Chibodee. Have at least an ounce of common sense! Chikori prayed and ran into Chibodee's room.  
  
Chibodee was pacing the room, looking melancholy. Chikori burst out laughing.  
  
"What?" Chibodee asked in a tired voice.  
  
"I'm-sorry," Chikori apologized through fits of laugher. "But-you look-so- funny-depressed."  
  
Chibodee smiled a wan smile. "Yeah, well I definitely don't feel like laughing. I never even got to tell Volta."  
  
Chikori's face lit up. "Yes! He still understands English! It's a miracle! Finally, someone who has brains and some sense. Chibodee, will you help me persuade the others that destroying everything is not going to help bring anyone back."  
  
"What about Sai? Can't he help you?" Chibodee asked.  
  
"I said 'brains and some sense'. Emphasis on 'and'."  
  
This time Chibodee did laugh. "Okay, Chik. Let's try." He opened the door and closed it immediately. "It's hopeless," he sighed. "Let's wait until tomorrow, okay? Maybe they'll be a bit calmer then."  
  
"Let me go get Sia, though," Chikori said and swiftly left the room.  
  
The door opened. "Hi, guys!" Haaz said. He looked around. "Um, what exactly is going?" he asked.  
  
"HAAZ! BE QUIET!" the three rampaging men said at once. They continued devastating the entire area around them for about two seconds and then realized exactly who was standing at the door. "Haaz?" they all shouted in surprise.  
  
"A-little-help-here-Haaz," Chikori said weakly from his position where Argo had pinned his against the wall.  
  
"Oh, sorry, kid," Argo said and let Chikori drop to the floor. Chikori rubbed his throat to make sure it was still there.  
  
"Okay, now that I have you're attention. I'd like to suggest something. WHY DON'T WE JUST GO AND GET THE GIRLS BACK?" Chikori shouted at the top of his lungs.  
  
Haaz stood, uncomprehending. "That's not a bad idea, but, what happened to the girls?" he asked.  
  
Slowly, Domon and the others came to their senses. "Chikori is right. If we ever want to see them again, we'd better hurry," Domon said.  
  
"But we don't know where they are," Brad protested.  
  
"Who?" Haaz asked.  
  
"Volta, Bunny, Rain, and Natasha," Brad supplied.  
  
"Oh! I saw them enter this little building thingy as I was driving here," Haaz said. "I waved to them, but they didn't reply. I thought that was kinda strange."  
  
"Why didn't you say so in the first place?!?" Domon asked.  
  
"Um, I was sort of busy watching you tear this room to shreds," Haaz said.  
  
"Do you remember where you saw them?" Domon asked.  
  
Haaz nodded.  
  
"Good. Chikori, get George and Chibodee. Let's go," Domon said and started out of the room. The others followed.  
  
Everyone got into the CorLander. "Haaz, get in here! We don't have time for you to stare in the window of a model Gundam shop and look at all the Gundams you don't have. Git!" Domon shouted.  
  
"Coming, coming," Haaz mumbled. "Why am I always treated like a piece of trash?"  
  
"Because you are," Chibodee snapped.  
  
"That wasn't very nice," Haaz said.  
  
"Do you think I care?"  
  
"No, but-"  
  
"Good. I'm glad we understand each other."  
  
Natasha.  
  
Marie-Louise.  
  
Rain.  
  
Volta.  
  
Bunny.  
  
Nothing will stop us from getting you back! 


	17. The Warped and Inhanced Berserker System

Chapter XVIII: The Enhanced Berserker System  
  
Bunny woke with a groan. She blinked and looked around her. She was in a grassy field, out in the open. No sign of civilization in sight. Bunny was in her Gundam.except it wasn't her Gundam. Bunny noticed that this Gundam was different from her Mirror Gundam. Yet it was the same.She looked down at her MTS suit. That's strange. It's black, Bunny thought, puzzled. She rose from her position of the floor of the cockpit. "Volta?" she called through the speakers. "Volta, are you there?"  
  
"Yah. But something strange is going on," came the reply. "My MTS suit is all black. And I feel like I'm in my Gundam, but I'm not. It's strange.Do you remember anything?"  
  
Bunny shook her head. "Not really. I remember we were in our Gundams ready to fight that guy, and then something hit me on my arm, and, that's about it. What happened to Rain and Natasha?"  
  
"I feel kinda groggy," another voice said.  
  
"Mrs. Kasshu?" Volta and Bunny asked in surprise.  
  
"Uh-huh," Rain said.  
  
"But-you still have that Rising Gundam?" Bunny asked in disbelief.  
  
Rain nodded as her face appeared on the screen.  
  
"Hey, you're suit is black, too!" Volta noticed.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Natasha came into view.  
  
"Wow, Mrs. Guilsky! I never knew an asparagus could look so nice in black plastic," Volta commented.  
  
Natasha just stared at her.  
  
"Um, it could just be me, but my vision is starting to get all purplish," Bunny said.  
  
"Mine too," Volta, Rain, and Natasha replied simultaneously.  
  
"Where are-" Bunny couldn't finish the sentence. She screamed out in pain and fell to the floor of the cockpit. "What's-happening?" she asked in short, choppy breaths. "I-can't-see-anything-but-purple."  
  
There was no reply. Dr. Klements was at work.  
  
* * *  
  
"Words of wisdom: never trust an idiot from Neo-Nepal with a map," Chibodee said sourly.  
  
"Hey! I swear, they went through this door," Haaz defended himself.  
  
"Let me rephrase my statement. Never trust Haaz, period. In case you can't read the sigh, Haaz, this door says, 'Corner Bakery'. Now what would Natasha, Rain, Bunny, and Volta be doing going into a bakery twenty miles away from the hotel?" Chibodee asked.  
  
"Why don't we just open the door and see what's inside," George suggested. "Don't worry, Chibodee. He'll still be here to kill afterwards."  
  
Chibodee grunted and pushed open the door. A man came up and quickly blocked their path. "You can't go through here," the man warned.  
  
"It's a bakery, for heaven's sake. Since when was there a law against hungry travelers buying some food at a nearby store?" Chibodee asked in annoyance.  
  
"I'm sorry, sir, but you can't go in there," the guard repeated again.  
  
"Argo," Chibodee snapped his fingers as if called for a dog. "Show this guy what happens when he tries to mess with the Shuffle Alliance."  
  
Argo came up and hit the guard on the head, sending him falling to the floor unconscious. "Good. Now thank the nice man for letting us through."  
  
The Neo-Russian fighter just grunted. Everyone filed through the door. "Thank you," Chikori said and hit the man again as he passed by.  
  
"Not again," Domon groaned. "Wasn't Dr. Mikamura evil enough to last us for a while?" Before them lay a gigantic laboratory.  
  
"Guess not," Chibodee replied.  
  
Everyone turned to look at Brad as he growled in anger. Suddenly, Chikori fell to the ground; a small cry of pain escaped his lips. Haaz and Brad looked at their hands. Their crests were glowing.  
  
* * *  
  
Bunny, Volta, Rain, and Natasha were all standing in the middle-well, they really weren't sure where they were. Everything around them was dark purple.  
  
"Where are we?" Bunny asked, frightened. She shivered. Everything around her was cold.  
  
"I don't have the slightest idea," Rain answered. She gasped. "Look at your hand." Bunny and Volta both looked at their right hands. The crests were glowing brightly. "The Hell Gundam must be near," Rain observed.  
  
This purple haze."Wait! I remember Brad telling me about something like this," Bunny said. "It had do to with the Berserker system." She tried to remember what Brad had told her. "Something about how when the system had control over you, you went into a purple field of mist. Like what we're in now. And you have no clue what's going on in the world outside. It's like your trapped in this cage of purple." There was a moment of silence as the information sunk in.  
  
"WE'RE BEING CONTROLED BY THE BERSERKER SYSTEM!!!" Volta screamed. She started cursing at an amazingly fast rate in Italian, English, Japanese, Indian, and Finish, speaking one word in one language and then switching to another. Volta hadn't been this made since.well, since the whole time Bunny had known her.  
  
Bunny whirled around as she heard a sob come from behind her. She saw the outline of another figure, also wearing a black MTS suit. Who's there?" Bunny called out.  
  
"Bunny? Is that really you?" a voice replied hopefully.  
  
"Mother?" Bunny asked in disbelief.  
  
"Oh, Bunny! You're all right." Marie-Louise came running up to her daughter and hugged her fiercely. Marie-Louise looked around. "Hello, Rain. Natasha." Her eyes fell upon the ranting and raving Volta. "And who is she?" Marie-Louise was appalled and the words she heard issuing from Volta's mouth.  
  
"That's Volta Lao, Black Joker and fighter for Neo-Nepal in this Gundam tournament," Bunny replied calmly. "She has a tendency to curse whenever upset."  
  
"Oh. I hope you weren't around her too much, dear," Marie-Louise said.  
  
"Don't worry mother. We were only roommates," Bunny assured her mother with a sarcastic smile.  
  
"Oh, dear," Marie-Louise said as she listened to Volta continue in a mixture of Italian and Finish.  
  
"Volta, I hate to interrupt you, but I'd like you to meet my mother, the Queen of Neo-France," Bunny nudged Volta in the stomach.  
  
Volta gulped and she stopped in mid-curse. "Uh-oh," she said under her breath. "He-he, sorry about that Your Highness," Volta apologized to Bunny's mother.  
  
Marie-Louise just kept on staring at the fighter from Neo-Nepal. She finally shook her head in disbelief. "Where are we?"  
  
"I'm not exactly sure, but WE'RE STUCK IN THIS D*** BERSERKER MODE THING AND WE CAN'T GET OUT, LET ALON KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON OUTSIDE OF THIS PLACE!" Volta exclaimed and started pacing back and forth, while muttering curses under he breath.  
  
"We're not getting anywhere here, are we?" Rain said with a sigh.  
  
"No, not really," Bunny replied. It was then that she realized that there were bars surrounding her and the others.  
  
* * *  
  
"Guys, over here!" Chikori called as he peered through a door on the other end of the room. "Look. My crest in glowing so that must mean we're close to the Hell Gundam. And through this door-see?-it's sort of like that cave we found Bunny in."  
  
"Good job, Chik," Chibodee said and walked through the door. "Let's go." He motioned to the others.  
  
They walked on for a while in silence. At least this time it wasn't a maze, just a straight path. They finally reached the end. There was another door. Brad quickly opened it, thinking only about how to get Bunny back. The door creaked wide open, revealing a field where six Gundams were stationed.  
  
* * *  
  
Volta continued pacing back and forth endlessly, cursing under her breath.  
  
"Stop it, please," Marie-Louise begged. "You're making me dizzy."  
  
"Sorry," Volta apologized and stopped walking back and forth. "D***! When are those f*****' idiots gonna let us out of here?" She started shaking the bars surrounding her.  
  
Although the others were also inwardly panicking, they did not show it (unlike a certain twenty-year-old who was kicking at the bars, to no avail).  
  
"Don't worry," Bunny assured her worried friend. "Brad said that once we start battling, we go out of this purple haze and into our Gundams."  
  
"Yeah? And what happens when we're back inside our Gundams?" Volta asked.  
  
Bunny frowned in concentration and started biting a fingernail. "I don't recall. I think I fell asleep at that point."  
  
Volta just stared at her. "You what?" she asked in a dangerously cold tone.  
  
"Um, I was tired and I think that's when I fell asleep," Bunny repeated meekly.  
  
"I am so ready to kill you!" Volta made a move to hit Bunny, but was blocked by Rain.  
  
"Volta! Control yourself," Rain said sternly.  
  
Volta closed her eyes tightly and fell to the floor, weeping. "I'm-sorry. It's just-I-might-never-see-Chibodee-or Haaz-again," she said through sobs. "I'll-never-get-to-tell-them-how-much-I-" Volta didn't finish the sentence. She didn't need to.  
  
* * *  
  
"Let me outta here!" Bersek cried through the closet door. "Those annoying little brats!" (Bersek was not talented at cursing.) He kicked the door in frustration.  
  
A maid cleaning up the mess in the living room heard the thud Bersek had made and quickly came over to the closet door. "Hello?" she asked.  
  
"Let me outta here!" Bersek replied acidly.  
  
The maid unlocked the door and Bersek came running out. "Thank you. Have a nice day!" he said as he raced down the stairs and out of the hotel. The maid stood, stunned.  
  
* * *  
  
Brad made his way onto the field where the Hell Gundam lay. The others followed. Brad looked up and saw the sky. We must be outside again, he thought. Domon started running towards the Hell Gundam, looking around for a pilot.  
  
"Hey, did anybody realize that we left Bersek in the closet?" Chikori asked suddenly. The others shrugged in response.  
  
"Who cares?" Brad asked.  
  
"Good point," Chikori said.  
  
"Anybody want to fill me in, here?" Haaz asked as he came up behind the others.  
  
"No, not really," Brad replied.  
  
Suddenly, a man popped up, blocking Domon's path to the Hell Gundam. "Hello, little brother," he said, smiling slyly.  
  
* * *  
  
The purple haze started to swirl around the girls. "What's happening?" Volta asked, her face stained with tears.  
  
"I think-I think we're about to battle someone," Bunny said, panic in her voice.  
  
"We're going to battle people while we're in BERSERKER MODE?" Volta shouted. "But we could destroy a whole city-a whole country-the whole earth!"  
  
"We just have to try to resist it," Bunny said. "Think about something- someone-you love. That's supposed to keep you sane."  
  
Volta looked at Bunny, annoyed. "Where do you learn all this junk?" she asked.  
  
But Bunny didn't have time to answer. Suddenly they were back in their Gundams. Bunny looked around her. Brad, George, Domon, Chibodee, Sai Sici, Haaz, Chikori, and Argo stood on the ground nearby. Oh my god! It suddenly hit Bunny. We have to fight THEM! 


	18. Twists and Turns All Smoothed Out and St...

Chapter XVIII: Twists and Turns All Smoothed out and Straight  
  
"K-Kyoji?" Domon stuttered as he stared at the man blocking his way. His face was a mixture of joy, anger, and sadness.  
  
"Um, Domon?" Haaz tried to get Domon's attention, but the Neo-Japanese fighter ignored him.  
  
"Kyoji, is that really you?" Domon asked hopefully.  
  
"Domon!" Haaz pulled at Domon's sleeve.  
  
"Not now, you idiot," Domon shook his sleeve free of Haaz's hand.  
  
"But-but-" Haaz was cut off as Domon pushed both of them down to the ground.  
  
"What was that?" Domon asked as a shot from a Gundam zoomed overhead.  
  
"What I was trying to tell you. There five Gundams behind that guy, and.um.THEY'RE STARTING TO ATTACK US!" Haaz yelled the last part and scrambled away, behind a nearby boulder.  
  
Domon quickly got up and looked around him. Kyoji had disappeared. Then his attention was drawn to the five Gundams stationed nearby. They looked familiar.the Grand Gundam, the Raven Gundam, the Walter Gundam, the Death Gundam (no one knew its name, though), and the Grand Master Gundam. But hadn't Mikelo Chariot and the others died? Then who was piloting the Gundams?  
  
"If you submit to the Hell Gundam without a fight, Domon, I can guarantee you no one will get hurt," Domon heard Kyoji say.  
  
"KYOJI!!!" Domon yelled. "I didn't join Master Asia in the thirteenth Gundam fight and I'm not going to join you now!"  
  
"Very well then," Kyoji sighed from his position atop the Hell Gundam. "I'll just have to destroy you then.with the people you love most."  
  
"I highly suggest we get into our Gundams now," Chibodee suggested wisely. Everyone snapped their fingers and eight Gundams appeared. Domon, Brad, Chibodee, George, Argo, Chikori, Sai Sici, and Haaz all jumped into their Gundams.  
  
A screen popped up in front of Domon once he was dressed and inside his Gundam's cockpit. He stared in horror at the picture before him. It was Rain, except she looked like DG-well, in this case HG-cells possessed her. Her pupils were small and there was a sly grin on her face.  
  
Inside the Grand Master Gundam, Rain was silently screaming. What is going on? What's happening? Why am I attacking Domon? I love Domon. What am I doing? HELP! She struggled to free her body from the grasp of the Berserker system, but failed. She-well, her body-attacked Burning Gundam again. Domon!  
  
"Chikori, Sai." Domon shouted and paused, ".Haaz! Try to attack the Hell Gundam, or, or find what's-his-name, Dr. Klements."  
  
The three did as told, but it was hopeless, trying to attack the Hell Gundam. That monstrosity was much more powerful than the Dark Gundam. But it had many more faults, too.  
  
The battle between George and Marie-Louise was rather pathetic. George was one of the world's best Gundam fighters, while Marie-Louise had never entered a Gundam before in her life. Gundam Rose shot Rose Bits at its opponent, and soon Death Gundam had fallen with a crash onto the ground. The impact of the blow sent Marie-Louise rolling out of the cockpit, out of the Gundam. George jumped out of his Gundam and ran to his wife.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry, mademoiselle, if I hurt you, but it was a necessary step I had to take," George apologized as he helped his disordered wife up from the ground.  
  
"That's quite all right, George," Marie-Louise replied good-naturedly. "Thank you, actually. I think that enhanced Berserker system only works when one is inside the Gundam."  
  
George brightened as an idea entered his brain. "Come on, jump into the Gundam," he ordered his wife. She did so obediently. He followed her in. "Domon," George said over the speakers. "I think if we are able to get the girls out of their Gundams, they won't be able to fight us!"  
  
Domon nodded. "Thanks, George, but I think the Berserker system only still has a hold on Bunny and Volta. Rain and Natahsa seem to be coming around," he said as he saw his wife and Natasha struggle to leave their Gundams.  
  
Brad looked around. There! He spotted his traitorous father running towards the gray building nearby. I've got you now, Brad thought venomously and jumped out of his Gundam, too absorbed in the movement of his father to realize that Bunny was still under the control of the Berserker system.  
  
He ran after his father, chasing him around the building. Dr. Klements didn't notice that Brad was following him until it was too late. Brad had his father cornered against the wall of the building.  
  
"So, father," Brad said menacingly. "How does it feel now to be the underdog?" Brad blocked his father's escape.  
  
"Please, Brad," Dr. Klements begged. "You don't want to hurt me, do you?"  
  
"I want to see you dead more than anything else in the world," Brad reassured his father.  
  
Dr. Klements gulped. "He he. Why don't we just forget the first twenty-four years of your life and start all over again?" he suggested.  
  
"I don't think so," Brad replied. He wrapped his hands around his father's neck and started choking the old man. Dr. Klements tried to say something, but was killed first. "Thanks father," Brad said as he let the corpse drop to the ground. "Thanks for letting me use you for my own enjoyment." Brad wiped his hands and started back towards the ongoing battle.  
  
"Bunny!" George, Marie-Louise, and Brad screamed together as they saw Bunny fly from the Raven Gundam and hit the ground with a smash.  
  
The next two things happened simultaneously. Volta was completely taken over by the Berserker system (she had doubts about Chibodee's love for her, unlike any of the others) and jumped from the Walter Gundam onto the Hell Gundam, where Kyoji was. Hatred for Chibodee filled her heart. Bunny's crest started glowing as brightly as a star, and suddenly there was an explosion as a swirl of bright light hit the Hell Gundam.  
  
Dust and smoke blew everywhere as the others watched in silence to see if the Hell Gundam was still alive. Once the smoke cleared, they saw the Hell Gundam and a large crevice in the ground, which Bunny had fallen into.  
  
Chibodee peered at the Hell Gundam, shading his eyes from the sun. He saw the slim form of Volta tangled in wires and ropes, looking uncannily similar to Rain when she had been the life source of the Dark Gundam. "Oh, god," he whispered in horror.  
  
Brad had run up to the edge of the small canyon. He looked down. Bunny! Where was she? What had happened to her? But the Neo-American didn't have time to ponder the loss of Bunny. He was brought back to the present as he heard Chibodee speaking to the Hell Gundam.  
  
"Volt, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Chibodee shouted at the new life source for the Hell Gundam.  
  
"Get away!" Volta replied through the Hell Gundam. Her voice had a metallic ring to it. The Hell Gundam started attacking Gundam Maxter.  
  
"Try to break outta that thing!" Chibodee ordered.  
  
"Like you'd care if I did! How could anyone be better than your precious Bunny?" the Hell Gundam replied scornfully.  
  
Chibodee just stood, stunned, trying to figure out exactly how Volta had known about Bunny.  
  
"Chibodee, you might want to try to get her out of the Hell Gundam," Domon suggested.  
  
"Tell her how you really fell," Rain put in.  
  
Chibodee sighed. "But that's a special Domon thing. I'm not good at these pathetic speeches," Chibodee said.  
  
"Would you prefer the world to be ruled by some thing that want to kill all humans?" Domon asked.  
  
"JUST DO IT!" Everyone screamed at Chibodee.  
  
"Would you like me to put you out of your misery now, Chibodee?" Volta asked through the Hell Gundam. "I could just attack you and then you'd be able to spend the rest of eternity with that miserable rabbit."  
  
Chibodee breathed in deeply. Here goes nothing. "No, Volta! You don't understand!" Chibodee yelled. The Hell Gundam continued its assault. "Volta.back then.I was devastated! Bunny and I were about to get married, and then.she was killed. I thought I would never love again. I.I was afraid to get hurt again. But then I met you! Volta, you changed my life! I was happy with you.You don't know how much you mean to me!"  
  
Everyone watched silently. Domon and Rain were remembering their own trials.  
  
"I.I know I never got to tell you this, Volt, but.You see I.this is sorta hard for me to say, but, I.Oh, god! Volta Lao, I love you!"  
  
Domon covered a small grin as he watched. "He's pretty pathetic too. And I thought I was the only one who could be that sappy," he whispered. Rain just smiled knowingly and kept watching.  
  
The attacks stopped. So he did love her.Volta struggled to get free of the Hell Gundam. But it was hopeless. She'd been pulled in too far to get out that easily. She had to stop this thing. And there was only one thing to do.  
  
There was a blast of blinding light as the Hell Gundam self-destructed. Light pierced through all different parts of the evil Gundam. Everyone watched in horror. Finally, the smoke cleared away. All that remained of the Hell Gundam was a large pile of rubble.  
  
Chibodee and Domon were the first to jump out of their Gundams and run forward. Domon got there first and started digging frantically through the ruins of the Hell Gundam, trying to find the body of Kyoji. Chibodee joined him seconds later, searching for Volta. I swear, I'm going to show that girl how to really curse, Chibodee promised himself as he searched desperately.  
  
Brad's attention was drawn back to the edge of the crevice where Bunny had fallen. He stared at it, wistfully hoping that she would miraculously appear. As if in answer to his prayer, a very dirty, very tousled princess of Neo-France climbed over the edge of the minute canyon.  
  
"Bunny!" George shouted as she saw his daughter emerge from out of nowhere. And, like before, Bunny ran right past George, towards Brad. At the precise moment before she was about to fall into Brad's arms, George called back to her, "BUNNY! GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!" Bunny sighed, ran back to her father, politely hugged him, ran back to Brad, and melted into his arms.  
  
"What did Domon do to you?" George asked Bunny under his breath, so no one would hear. He looked at Brad and Bunny, who were sharing a rather passionate kiss. "Why did the princess of Neo-France have to fall for a homeless man from Neo-America?"  
  
George turned back to the pile of rubble, where everyone else was searching for Kyoji and Volta. George walked over and started digging, too. Soon, Kyoji was found. Rain, Domon, and almost everyone else pulled Kyoji away from the remains of the Hell Gundam and started tending to his wounds. Chibodee, Haaz, and Bunny remained, searching for Volta.  
  
Chibodee heard a slight groan come from beneath him. "Over here!" he shouted to Haaz and Bunny. The three started to dig frantically. They eventually uncovered the body of Volta. Chibodeee picked her up and rocked back and forth. "Come on, Volt," he prayed and held her tightly to him.  
  
"OOOWWW!" Chibodee heard Volta scream out in pain. "Stop holding me so tightly you little." Volta started describing Chibodee very colorfully. Chibodee just smiled down at Volta as she cursed. Evidentially, she was fine. ".Why are you smiling?" Volta asked as she looked up at Chibodee's face. "I'm insulting you! You should be cringing in fear, or awe, or something like that. Stopit!" she slapped Chibodee across the cheek. Yep, Volta was definitely okay.  
  
"Ow," Chibodee said and held his hand to his cheek, keeping the other one around Volta.  
  
"Chibodee Crockett!" Volta said in her sternest tone. "I-" Volta never finished the sentence; she was cut off by Chibodee's mouth. Volta was stunned. He had never kissed her that passionately before. She kissed him back, equally passionate. I'll never let him go, Volta thought. Never.  
  
As they broke, Chibodee smiled. "Now you can't accuse me of not being romantic. Do you know how hard it is to make a pathetic speech in front of people who will tease you about it for the rest of your life? Ow! What'd I- " This time Volta cut him off with her mouth. "-do?" Chibodee finish the sentence breathlessly.  
  
* * *  
  
"Girls," Chibodee said to Janet, Shirley, and Cath the next day as they all sat in a hotel room. (The girls had flown over from Neo-America as soon as they heard about the defeat of the Hell Gundam.) "I'd like you to meet my fiancée, Volta Lao."  
  
"Hi!" the three remaining crew-members said together.  
  
Volta nodded and then turned to Chibodee. She hit him on the head. "What do you mean, 'fiancée?' " she asked. "You never proposed!"  
  
"I didn't?" Chibodee asked and scratched his fluffy blue hair. He started counting on his fingers. "Oh my god! You're right. He, he," he apologized.  
  
Volta stared at him for a moment or two and then started cursing in Italain. Janet, Shirley, and Cath stared in admiration at Volta. "Wow, I wish I could do that," Shirley said.  
  
The fighter from Neo-Nepal paused for a moment. "Ya know, Chib, that's not such a bad idea," she finally admitted.  
  
"What?" Chibodee asked, puzzled.  
  
"Getting married, you idiot! Sometimes I wish I had fallen in love with someone who actually had a brain!"  
  
* * *  
  
Slowly, Kyoji opened his eyes. What a horrible dream.  
  
"Kyoji! You're awake!" Rain said. Kyoji looked at her. "Hey, everyone! Kyoji woke up!"  
  
Sixteen people rushed in. Domon ran up to his brother and, forgetting everything, hugged his tight.  
  
"Ow, Domon! Let go! Oooooh!" Kyoji said.  
  
"Guess who won the Gundam fight, Kyoji? I did!" Domon said to his brother.  
  
"Men are so babyish! Domon, get off of him this instant! Just because he's awake doesn't mean his ribs are healed!"  
  
Domon reluctantly pulled away from Kyoji.  
  
"We thought that after the Hell Gundam self-destructed, you'd never live," Bunny said. Kyoji tuned to look at her. Hell Gundam. Then. It wasn't a dream.  
  
"Thanks to Rain's knowledge as a doctor though, we were able to keep you alive," Brad added. He had become much more social as the time had passed.  
  
"And you woke up just in time to go to our wedding!" Volta exclaimed.  
  
"Double wedding, remember? You can't forget Brad and Bunny," Chibodee corrected his young fiancée.  
  
" 'Double wedding'?" Brad repeated. He turned to Bunny. "You never told me it would be a double wedding!"  
  
"Thanks for spilling the surprise, Chib!" Volta said. She rounded on her soon-to-be-husband. "We told you not to tell anyone, you little." As commonly said, Volta started to describe Chibodee very colorfully.  
  
"He he. Whoops," Chibodee muttered. Kyoji looked at them all, then turned to his younger brother.  
  
"It's good to see you all happy."  
  
"I'm just glad you're alive."  
  
Kyoji smiled and scanned the room. He caught sight of Bersek. "What's he doing here? Isn't he supposed to be dead or something?" Kyoji pointed a finger at Bersek.  
  
"Well, we locked him in a closet, but somehow he escaped. He arrived just after all the dirty work had been done," Domon explained.  
  
"I see."  
  
George sighed and silently watched Brad and Bunny as they sneaked out of the room.  
  
In the room next door, Brad looked at Bunny, raising one eyebrow.  
  
"Double wedding, huh?" he asked and leaned against the wall. "Oh well."  
  
"Yah, oh well," Bunny echoed.  
  
Brad pulled Bunny close to him. They kissed. And it sure wouldn't be the last time.  
  
~ The End ~  
  
Hunky-dory, people! (In case you were wondering, that means, "okay".) It's done! Complete! Finished. Eighteen torturous chapters of "what if sprees" and suitcase problems. And now it's all over! Hallelujah! I want to thank my co-author, Krista (DarkDragon) for writing all but two of my romance scenes, as well as Chibodee's pathetic speech. (Read her stuff. It's good.) If I get enough reviews, I might write a sequel. Please, I'm begging you, please review my story! Please. But anyway, thanks for reading this piece of junk. ~* ShadowTide *~ 


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